Sale Will Lead The Way With Braves Once Again

Braves vs. Brewers, 2:10 ET

The trade deadline is over and done with. Players are donning new jerseys and teams are figuring out how to fit in their new pieces. To be clear, just because the trade deadline is done doesn't mean a team can't obtain another player. A lot of times we see players placed on waivers (virtually every team puts their players on waivers and teams try to work out deals), and a big name gets moved as his team falls out of contention. Today, we have two teams in contention for the playoffs squaring off as the Braves take on the Brewers.

Atlanta comes into this game just eight games over .500 for the season, but they still are in a great position to make the playoffs. I've said this before, I almost prefer a team to make it to the playoffs as a Wild Card team as opposed to a division winner. At least in my mind, it seems like a Wild Card team tends to make the World Series almost every year. The problem is that the Braves are just a half-game ahead of the Mets and Padres for the first Wild Card spot. If they lose a few games, they might be out of the playoffs altogether.  As of today, there are eight teams in the National League within five games of the top spot of the Wild Card race. Sure, the Braves have had injury issues this season, but no one will feel sorry for them. Their play hasn't changed all that much over the course of the season, it is more that the Padres and Mets have both improved their play recently. One guy that has been a consistent force for the Braves this season is Chris Sale, tonight's starter. Here are Sale's numbers for the season - 13-3, 2.68 ERA, 149 strikeouts, and a 0.92 WHIP. Each one of those numbers is top-10 in the league. His ERA is fourth and his WHIP is second best. He is on his way to a Cy Young award. After two starts where he only went five innings, he was able to go deep into his last start against the Mets where he went 7.1 innings and allowed two earned runs. Ultimately, the Braves lost the game 3-2 in 10 innings on a wild play. It certainly wasn't Sale's fault. The Brewers have very limited experience against Sale aside from Gary Sanchez who is just 4-for-25 against him. Willy Adames and Eric Haase are 2-for-12 combined against him. No one else has experience against the left-hander.

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JUNE 11: Freddy Peralta #51 of the Milwaukee Brewers throws a pitch in the third inning against the Oakland Athletics at American Family Field on June 11, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

The Brewers are surprisingly good this season. It isn't a surprise to me that they are leading the division, it is more of a surprise that they are 15 games above .500 and have one of the best records in baseball. They are one of just six teams in the Majors that have 60 or more wins for the season. The Brewers have found a way to overcome losing one of the best relievers, best starters, and best managers in baseball within the past year to remain in this position. They are without their stud outfielder Christian Yelich right now as he is sitting on the injured list with a bad back. He did decided to delay surgery until the offseason, but there has to be a question of how long they can sustain their effectiveness without Yelich, and how effective he will be upon his return. To battle Sale today, Freddy Peralta takes the mound with a 6-6 record and a 3.94 ERA, 142 strikeouts, and a 1.21 WHIP. Peralta isn't exactly an ace of a rotation, but he's doing well enough that he would be a second or third starter on most teams. He has struggled a bit at home this season having a 4.55 ERA. In fact in his 10 home starts this season, he has just two quality starts. Braves hitters are just 16-for-70 against Peralta so he hasn't struggled badly against them. 

Although Peralta has been successful in the past against the Braves, I don't think he has pitched all that reliably this season. The Brewers are playing decent baseball overall, and this is a rubber match for the two teams in the series. The big thing is that Sale should be the clear dominating force in this game. Sale has been so good and reliable that he should be backed once again right now. I think the Braves will win the game, but the first five is a safer play in my opinion and I'll back them through five innings at -125. 

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