Phillies Catch Major Break After Braves Place Superstar Ace on Injured List

The Philadelphia Phillies won't be facing one of the best pitchers in the game when they play the Atlanta Braves later this month.

Mar 31, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale (51) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies aren't looking ahead on their schedule in the midst of a major battle for NL East supremacy against the New York Mets this weekend, but when they do look up and prepare for an upcoming series, they'll realize they caught a major break.

The Atlanta Braves announced they have put Chris Sale on the 15-day injured list with what's been deemed to be a fractured left ribcage.

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Coming off his first Cy Young Award last season where he also took home the National League's triple crown, the left-hander was in the midst of another impressive campaign with a 2.52 ERA across 15 starts with 114 strikeouts in 89 1/3 innings pitched.

While the Phillies have actually performed well against the left-hander over the years, his last start against them on May 29 resulted in six shutout innings where he allowed just two hits and struck out eight batters.

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How is Philadelphia catching a break with Sale going on the IL?

Well, since he's received the 15-day designation, that means he won't be eligible to return prior to the three-game road set that will take place from June 27-29.

With the IL date being backdated to June 19, even if Sale spends the minimum time on the shelf, he can't come back until July 4.

Of course, nobody should be rooting for anyone to get hurt, but the fact that the Phillies won't have to face one of the most dominant starting pitchers in the game is a huge benefit.

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The Braves don't seem like a threat to win the division at this point in time based on their 34-40 record entering play on Saturday. However, there is still a ton of talent on that roster that can make a late charge during the summer months into the fall.

Philadelphia has the opportunity to push their rivals down even further in the standings when they face off at the end of June, and without Sale in the mix, that now becomes a much more winnable series.

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