Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale was left off the team’s roster for its National League wild-card series against the San Diego Padres, while right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver was tabbed to start Tuesday’s Game 1.
Sale initially was scheduled to pitch the second game of Monday’s doubleheader against the New York Mets before being scratched due to back spasms. He experienced issues during a Sept. 19 start against the Cincinnati Reds and hasn’t pitched since.
Smith-Shawver was chosen as the starter for the pitching-depleted Braves despite making just one major league start this season. He tossed 4 1/3 innings of scoreless three-hit ball against the Chicago Cubs on May 23 but sustained a left oblique strain and missed the next five-plus weeks.
Smith-Shawver, 21, spent most of the season at Triple-A Gwinnett and went 3-8 with a 4.86 ERA in 20 starts. His last outing was Sept. 22 when he struck out 10 and gave up five runs in six innings against Jacksonville and took the loss.
Smith-Shawver made one postseason appearance last season, allowing three runs in 2 2/3 innings of relief in Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Atlanta is carrying 13 pitchers and 13 position players for this series. The Braves also plucked right-hander Bryce Elder from Triple-A Gwinnett to be part of the wild-card roster.
The Braves also announced that left-hander Max Fried will start Wednesday’s Game 2 against San Diego. Fried went 11-10 with a 3.25 ERA in 29 starts this season.
Sale, 35, is 18-3 with a major league-best 2.38 ERA across 29 starts. The 14-year veteran leads the NL with 225 strikeouts over 177 2/3 innings and is the favorite to win this year’s Cy Young Award in the league.
–Field Level Media
