Braves' Walt Weiss Downplays Chris Sale's Velocity Dip After Illness

The Braves ace had some concerns during his outing Wednesday, but those have been put to rest thanks to manager Walt Weiss.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 7:39pm

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Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale had a concerning start against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday, with his fastball velocity barely reaching 90 mph. However, Braves manager Walt Weiss revealed that Sale had been battling an illness heading into the game, which played a significant role in the dip in velocity. Despite the circumstances, Sale allowed just one hit in the game and has now put together two strong starts to open the 2026 season.

Why it matters

Chris Sale is a key part of the Braves' rotation and his performance is crucial to the team's success. The Braves were concerned about Sale's velocity, but Weiss' transparency and support for his ace has helped alleviate those concerns and shows the strong relationship between the manager and player.

The details

During his outing on Wednesday, Sale's fastball was barely touching 90 mph, which raised some red flags. In his postgame conference, Sale acknowledged that he simply didn't have his best stuff. However, Weiss revealed that Sale had been battling an illness heading into the game, which played a significant role in the velocity dip. Despite the circumstances, Sale allowed just one hit in the game - a solo home run to Shea Langeliers.

  • On April 1, 2026, Chris Sale made his first start of the season against the Oakland Athletics.

The players

Chris Sale

The Atlanta Braves' ace pitcher who recently passed Tom Glavine on the career strikeouts list.

Walt Weiss

The manager of the Atlanta Braves who provided transparency about Sale's illness and backed his ace.

Shea Langeliers

The Oakland Athletics player who hit a solo home run off Chris Sale during the game.

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What they’re saying

“Chris Sale was asked why his velo was down a little bit. Says he noticed it pregame and knows sometimes you're just not going to have it so you have to raise your focus.”

— Reggie Chatman Jr., Atlanta sports reporter

“Chris Sale pitched today despite being sick heading into it. Walt Weiss said he would've been happy with getting three innings out of him.”

— Harrison Smajovitts, SI writer

What’s next

The Braves and Athletics will play the rubber game of their series on Thursday, April 2, 2026.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the strong relationship between Chris Sale and Braves manager Walt Weiss. Weiss' transparency about Sale's illness and his support for his ace has helped alleviate concerns about Sale's velocity dip, showing the trust and communication between the two.