Braves activate LHP Chris Sale to start against Phillies

The Atlanta Braves reinstated reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale from the injured list, and he's expected to start Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies.

He last pitched June 18 against the New York Mets before going on the 60-day injured list due to a fractured left rib cage.

Sale was injured while diving for an infield dribbler hit by Juan Soto in the ninth inning of a 5-0 Atlanta victory. Sale threw Soto out at first but left two batters later when he was just one out away from his fourth career shutout.

Sale, 36, is 5-4 with a 2.52 ERA in 15 starts this season, his second with the Braves. The nine-time All-Star went 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA in 29 starts last season while being a runaway winner in Cy Young balloting as he won the pitching Triple Crown.

Over 15 seasons with the Chicago White Sox (2010-16), Boston Red Sox (2017-23) and Braves, the 2010 first-round pick (No. 13 overall) is 143-87 in 387 games (307 starts) with a 3.02 ERA along with 2,528 strikeouts and 481 walks in 2,047 2/3 innings.

Sale made three rehab starts and gave up three runs in 10 2/3 innings. He struck out 11 and walked three.

The Braves optioned right-hander Nathan Wiles to Triple-A Gwinnett in a corresponding move.

--Field Level Media