On Sunday afternoon, the Atlanta Braves took their first loss of the 2024 MLB season with a 5-4 road defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies in what was the first start for newly-acquired pitcher Chris Sale for the ballclub. Sale was brought into Atlanta from the Boston Red Sox this past offseason, hoping to provide some added depth for a Braves pitching squad that has faltered a bit in each of the team's last two postseason defeats, both of which ironically occurred vs the Phillies.
On Sunday, Sale was solid if not great in his debut, allowing five hits and two earned runs while striking out seven Philadelphia batters in 5 and one-third innings of work.