The Braves are rolling through their early schedule, and their latest series win over the Phillies shows they’re not planning to slow down anytime soon. Atlanta hasn’t dropped a series yet this season, which is exactly the kind of start they needed in a competitive NL East.
Chris Sale delivered another solid outing despite some underlying concerns with his slider. The veteran left-hander got the job done, but there’s an interesting trend developing with one of his key pitches.
House That Hank Built’s Eric Cole dug into the numbers and found something worth watching:
On average, in an admittedly small sample, Sale’s slider is getting significantly less movement both on the vertical and horizontal axes. The pitch is still moving enough to be passable, but losing multiple inches in both directions is rough. The results speak for themselves as opposing hitters are hitting .286 against the slider when they previously would be hitting well below .200 (.143 in 2025 and .171 in 2024, just to give a couple of data points).
That’s not ideal, but Sale’s finding ways to work around it. Sometimes that’s what separates good pitchers from great ones.
The ninth inning brought an interesting decision from manager Brian Snitker. Robert Suarez got the call to close instead of Raisel Iglesias, and there was good reason for that choice.
Braves Today’s Lindsay Crosby pointed out the matchup consideration: “For those wondering why Robert Suarez is getting the save situation and not Raisel Iglesias, it’s possible that it’s the fact that Bryce Harper (who leads off B9) is 6-12 with four homers and five RBI off of Iggy.”
Smart managing there. Harper’s had Iglesias’s number, so why not try a different look?
The strategy worked as Atlanta secured a 3-1 victory over their division rivals. After the game, Austin Riley summed up what’s making this team click early on.
Riley’s hitting the nail on the head here. Last season, pitching inconsistencies held Atlanta back when it mattered most. This year feels different, and it starts with guys like Sale and Reynaldo López setting the tone.
What makes this staff so effective is the depth. Different guys stepping up each night, and the bullpen making the right adjustments based on matchups. That’s the kind of approach that can carry a team through a long season.
The early returns suggest Atlanta’s addressed one of their biggest weaknesses from last year. If the pitching continues at this level, they’re going to be tough to beat in the NL East race.
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