Chris Sale and Reynaldo Lopez, the two starting pitchers the Braves are sending to the All-Star Game, both have a strong case to start for the National League.
Veteran Chris Sale is currently in his debut season with the Braves after overcoming several significant injuries. The All-Star Game is all about creating a feel-good tale, and this will be his sixth All-Star appearance as he advances toward the Hall of Fame. With the most wins, FIP, WHIP, and K/BB ratio in the league, the 35-year-old is also one of the favorites to win the National League Cy Young Award.
Conversely, Reynaldo Lopez is yet another heartwarming tale. After signing him to a three-year, $30 million contract in the winter, the Braves found something in the converted reliever that the rest of the league was lacking and added him to their rotation. At first, it looked like a lighthearted experiment with potential benefits that would surely pass quickly. Currently leading all pitchers in the National League in WAR and all of Major League Baseball in ERA, Lopez is an All-Star for the first time.
Although both are worthy of the chance, it’s possible that due to scheduling conflicts, neither will even be taken into consideration. Chris Sale was scheduled to throw in the last game before the All-Star break on Sunday, but his start was pushed back to tonight. He won’t be able to pitch in the All-Star Game if that occurs.
Reynaldo Lopez is also slated to throw on Saturday, but he’ll probably be unavailable as well because the Braves probably want to save their arms as fresh as possible.
Going forward, we’ll see if the Braves make any changes. Although they have made numerous adjustments to their lineup throughout the season, it appears that both of the Braves starting pitchers might not be able to play in the All-Star Game the following week.
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