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As of the latest reports available Oct. 3, Chris Sale could start Game 2 of the Braves’ NLDS against the Dodgers, but Atlanta had not confirmed him as the starter. MLB’s rotation preview projected him for Sunday, Oct. 4; MLB also said he would not be available before Game 2, which sets his earliest availability rather than confirming an assignment.
Will Chris Sale start Game 2 against the Dodgers?
It remained possible, not confirmed, as of Oct. 3. MLB’s Game 1 FAQ said Sale would not be available before Game 2. Separately, MLB’s rotation preview projected him to start Game 2. Availability and a projected assignment are not the same as a final announcement.
A separate Oct. 2 update from CBS Sports/RotoWire, citing ESPN’s Alden González, reported that manager Walt Weiss had not ruled out Sunday but would favor more rest if the choice were close. The report described Game 3 as the apparent preference, while leaving open the possibility Sale would push to pitch Sunday. That was a reported interpretation, not a settled team decision.
Why Atlanta is weighing rest against a Game 2 start
Sale started the Braves’ Wild Card Series opener against Philadelphia on Sept. 29, then pitched in relief in the winner-take-all Game 3 on Oct. 1. He recorded the final four outs of Atlanta’s 6–2 win. Before that relief outing, Weiss said he had not asked Sale about it because he expected him to say yes even if tired.
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Asked whether Sale could start Sunday, Weiss told FOX Sports: “I don’t know. I have no idea. We weren’t even worried about that. We haven’t even talked about that. We didn’t look past tonight.” Weiss’s remarks came before the Game 3 clincher and did not settle whether Sale’s relief work would affect a possible Sunday start.
The schedule and workload create a choice rather than a simple rotation slot. Starting Sunday could keep Sale in play for a potential Game 5 on regular rest, according to MLB’s preview. Waiting for the possible Tuesday Game 3 slot would give him more time after his Wild Card start and relief appearance. The reports do not establish that Sale is injured or medically unable to pitch.
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Braves’ projected NLDS rotation and schedule
MLB’s Oct. 2 preview projected Atlanta to use a bullpen approach in Game 1, with Grant Holmes potentially following a left-handed opener, Sale in Game 2, and Tyler Mahle likely starting Game 3. These were projections, not confirmed assignments. The unusual short interval since Sale’s Wild Card start and his subsequent relief appearance were part of the context.
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| Game | Schedule | Atlanta pitching outlook in MLB’s Oct. 2 preview |
|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Saturday, Oct. 3, 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT, Dodger Stadium | Likely bullpen game; Grant Holmes might follow a left-handed opener |
| Game 2 | Sunday, Oct. 4, 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET, Dodger Stadium | Sale projected, but not confirmed as the starter |
| Game 3 | Tuesday, Oct. 6, Atlanta | Mahle projected as the likely starter |
Game 1’s time and venue are listed in MLB’s FAQ; Game 2’s schedule is in the Dodgers’ official release. MLB describes the NLDS as a best-of-five with two off-days in its postseason schedule FAQ. The specific Game 3 pitching slot remains a preview projection, not a guarantee.
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What the reports do—and do not—establish
- Established: Sale started Wild Card Game 1 and recorded the last four outs in Game 3, according to FOX Sports.
- Projected: MLB’s Oct. 2 preview placed Sale in Game 2, but the reports reviewed did not contain a final Game 2 starter announcement by the Oct. 3 cutoff.
- Earliest availability: MLB said he would not be available before Game 2; that does not mean he definitely would pitch Sunday.
- Not established: The reports do not say Sale is injured, nor do they establish his physical readiness for a Sunday start.
FOX Sports reported Sale’s 2026 regular-season record as 14–9 with a 2.16 ERA, plus 200 strikeouts in 162 2/3 innings. Those season statistics describe his performance, not whether he was ready to start on a short turnaround.
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