Braves ace Chris Sale (back spasms) late scratch vs. Braves

Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale was a late scratch for Game 2 of Monday’s doubleheader vs. the New York Mets due to back spasms with the Braves needing a win to advance to the playoffs.

Right-handed reliever Grant Holmes, who is 2-1 with a 3.78 ERA this season, got the start in Sale’s place and pitched four scoreless innings en route to a 3-0 win. The victory clinched Atlanta a playoff berth and set up a wild card series vs. the San Diego Padres.

Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos described Sale’s back spasms as a “day-to-day thing” when speaking to media after Game 1 of the doubleheader Monday. That doesn’t preclude Sale from starting in the wild card series vs. the Padres, which starts on Tuesday.

The decision to not start Sale was made this afternoon, so as to not risk further injury. Sale’s fastball velocity dipped in his last regular start, against Cincinnati on Sept. 19. He averaged 92.7 mph in that start, after averaging 95.9 mph in the start before that, Sept. 14.

The Braves needed to win one of the two games Monday to clinch a wild-card berth. In Game 1, they started Spencer Schwellenbach, who pitched a gem until the eighth inning, when the Braves blew a three-run lead and then a one-run lead in the ninth to lose the game to the Mets.