Sale vs. Abbott: Braves Host Reds in Late-Season Pitching Showcase

Atlanta enters Wednesday night at Truist Park sitting at 92-65, a team with something real to play for as the calendar winds down. Cincinnati, at 73-84, is playing out the string — but that doesn't mean this game lacks teeth.

The pitching matchup alone makes this worth watching. Chris Sale is expected to take the mound for Atlanta, and Andrew Abbott is set to start for Cincinnati. Two legitimate arms going head-to-head in a late-September game is a genuine draw regardless of the standings gap between these clubs. The Braves are the better team on paper — 19 games over .500 against a Reds squad 11 games under — but baseball has a way of ignoring paper.

On the offensive side, the Braves carry the heavier lumber. Matt Olson has reached 40 home runs and driven in 89 runs on the season, making him one of the more dangerous bats in the National League. Michael Harris II is hitting .291, giving Atlanta a legitimate contact threat to complement Olson's power. Cincinnati counters with Sal Stewart, who has quietly put together a serious season — 32 home runs and 110 RBI is a line that demands respect from any pitching staff. Elly De La Cruz is hitting .288, and if he gets on base against Sale, the Braves' defense will have to stay sharp. The Reds may be out of contention, but their lineup isn't toothless.

As for a prediction, there's no validated model read for this game, and that's worth being straight about rather than papering over with false confidence. What we can say is this: the talent disparity between these rosters is real, Atlanta is at home, and Sale on the mound is a difficult assignment for any offense. But Stewart and De La Cruz give Cincinnati the kind of pop that can flip a game in a single at-bat. Watch the middle innings — if Abbott can keep the Braves' lineup in check through five or six, this one could get interesting. First pitch is 7:15 PM ET at Truist Park, available on MLB.TV, BravesVision, and Reds.TV.