“I got too much respect for those guys on the other side of the field … to think because of a previous experience that the next one was going to be anything other than a grind,” Chris Sale said.
Sale was asked in his pregame press conference how much he could take from his previous complete-game performance against the Dodgers. He faces Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Tuesday, October 6, in Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Truist Park, with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. Mountain Time.
The best-of-five series is tied 1–1 after Los Angeles won the opener 5–3 and Atlanta answered with a 3–2 victory in Game 2. Tuesday’s winner will move one win away from the National League Championship Series.
Yamamoto’s preparation for his first October start
Yamamoto’s last official start was September 23 against San Diego. He enters Game 3 with 12 full days between starts and no 2026 postseason appearance yet. His final regular-season totals were a 14–9 record and 2.53 ERA across 185 innings, with 182 strikeouts and a 0.87 WHIP.
Asked in his pregame availability about facing Sale in a tied series, Yamamoto said through an interpreter, “I just want to focus on my own job.”
The two pitchers also started opposite each other at Truist Park on August 27, when Sale threw a five-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts in Atlanta’s 1–0 win. Yamamoto allowed one earned run over 6⅓ innings, striking out eight.
Asked about that earlier meeting, Yamamoto said through his interpreter, “tomorrow is a new game so I focus on my own job.”
Yamamoto said he had thrown about 70 pitches in an intrasquad game during the layoff. When asked whether he felt better mentally and physically than in his first two postseasons, he did not identify one year as his best. He described his present condition as “totally ready for the game.”
Why Atlanta waited for Sale
Sale finished the regular season with a 14–9 record, 2.16 ERA and 200 strikeouts in 162⅔ innings. He has already worked twice this postseason: a 95-pitch start against Philadelphia on September 29, followed by four scoreless outs on 21 pitches in relief on October 1. He has had four full days off since that relief appearance.
Sale said he had offered to pitch earlier in the Division Series. “I told them I was available,” he said. “I really felt confident in myself and in starting game two.”
Braves manager Walt Weiss explained that the decision accounted for Sale’s relief work between starts. His preference was to bring Sale into Game 3 at full strength rather than seek two starts on shorter recovery intervals.
“So, we wanted to get a full strength Chris Sale and that would and and that’s game three,” Weiss said. He also described Sale “possibly impacting the game in game five,” keeping that role conditional on how the series develops.
Sale’s response to the staff decision emphasized his teammates. “It’s everybody doing anything they can to get one out to get a run to get a base runner,” he said.
Two starters, different paths to Game 3
| Measure | Yamamoto | Sale |
|---|---|---|
| Starts | 28 | 27 |
| Record | 14–9 | 14–9 |
| ERA | 2.53 | 2.16 |
| Innings | 185 | 162⅔ |
| Strikeouts | 182 | 200 |
| Walks | 42 | 31 |
| WHIP | 0.87 | 0.98 |
The August matchup and the Dodgers’ approach
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked what Sale did effectively in the August meeting and what Los Angeles would need to adjust. He pointed to fastballs at the top of the strike zone and Dodgers swings below it.
“I think both pitchers are going to pitch well and it’s kind of who grinds out at bats best,” Roberts said when asked about having Yamamoto ready opposite Sale.
Roberts said he was considering lineup changes, but his comments did not announce a finalized batting order. The starting lineups in MLB’s pregame guide were still projections when this preview was prepared.
Sale likewise resisted treating his August performance as a guarantee. “I’m just preparing for another grind,” he said. “I’m a firm believer of leaving everything you have out on the field.”
What follows Game 3
Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday, October 7, at Truist Park at 4 p.m. Mountain Time. If necessary, Game 5 will return to Dodger Stadium on Friday, October 9, at 6 p.m. Mountain Time.
