* **Q: Why have the Braves started the season 0-5?
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Yanuki
ARTICLE DETAIL
Braves Seek First Win of 2025 Behind Cy Young Winner Chris Sale Against Dodgers' Dustin May | Mexico and USA Set for World Baseball Classic Showdown After Dominating Brazil | Randy Arozarena's Viral World Baseball Classic Moment | NHL On Tap: Mammoth Visit Blackhawks, Senators Face Canucks - March 9, 2026 | Tarik Skubal Returns to Tigers Camp After Emotional WBC Experience | Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud at Indian Wells: Tennis Updates and Predictions | Cuba and Puerto Rico Face Off in World Baseball Classic 2026 | Eagles' Future Contracts & Dillon Thieneman Comparisons | Cardinals Bolster Defensive Line with Collier and Lopez | Braves Seek First Win of 2025 Behind Cy Young Winner Chris Sale Against Dodgers' Dustin May | Mexico and USA Set for World Baseball Classic Showdown After Dominating Brazil | Randy Arozarena's Viral World Baseball Classic Moment | NHL On Tap: Mammoth Visit Blackhawks, Senators Face Canucks - March 9, 2026 | Tarik Skubal Returns to Tigers Camp After Emotional WBC Experience | Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud at Indian Wells: Tennis Updates and Predictions | Cuba and Puerto Rico Face Off in World Baseball Classic 2026 | Eagles' Future Contracts & Dillon Thieneman Comparisons | Cardinals Bolster Defensive Line with Collier and Lopez
Sports / Baseball
Braves Seek First Win of 2025 Behind Cy Young Winner Chris Sale Against Dodgers' Dustin May
The Atlanta Braves are reeling, starting the 2025 season with a concerning 0-5 record. Amidst struggles spanning offense, pitching, and defense, they turn to reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale for his second start, hoping he can s...
Key Insights
- **Rough Start:** The Braves have lost their first five games due to a combination of factors including an ineffective offense deviating from past successful approaches, poor relief pitching, defensive miscues, and even a PED suspension.
- **Why this matters:** An 0-5 start puts immediate pressure on the team, especially one with high expectations, making each subsequent game crucial to regain momentum.
- **Sale on the Mound:** 2024 NL Cy Young winner Chris Sale takes the ball for his second start. His first outing was statistically solid (7 Ks, 1 BB) but resulted in three runs allowed due to poor defense and timing.
- **Why this matters:** Sale's performance is critical. As the ace and reigning Cy Young winner, the Braves rely on him to deliver dominant performances, especially to halt losing streaks.
- **May's Return:** The Dodgers counter with Dustin May, making his first MLB start in nearly two years following Tommy John surgery and a subsequent esophageal tear that sidelined him for the rest of 2024.
- **Why this matters:** May was effective before his injuries (career 3.5 fWAR in 191.2 IP). His return adds an element of unpredictability; the Braves haven't faced him since the 2020 NLCS.
- **Offensive Woes:** Atlanta's hitters have struggled, characterized by weak swings and watching strikes, a departure from their successful strategies in recent years.
- **Why this matters:** Without offensive support, even strong pitching performances can be wasted. The lineup needs to wake up quickly to secure wins.
In-Depth Analysis
The Atlanta Braves find themselves in an early-season hole, desperately needing a victory after dropping their first five contests. The path to 0-5 has been paved with various issues: uncharacteristically poor hitting, shaky relief efforts, defensive lapses, and bad luck. The team's front page is described as being "littered with everything you could ever need to know about why the Braves are 0-5."
Hope rests heavily on the shoulders of Chris Sale, the veteran lefty who captured the NL Cy Young Award in 2024 after a stellar comeback season (18-3, 2.38 ERA, 225 Ks). His performance reinvigorated his Hall of Fame case. However, his first start of 2025, despite good strikeout-to-walk numbers, was marred by circumstances leading to three runs charged against him. He did beat the Dodgers in a start last September. Tuesday marks his sixth career Opening Day start, highlighting his veteran status, though it's his first since 2019 due to various injuries between 2020-2023.
Across the diamond, the Braves face Dustin May, a talented right-hander whose career has been significantly interrupted by injury. Nearly two years removed from his last major league start due to Tommy John surgery and a subsequent, unrelated esophageal tear, May looks to re-establish himself. While his Spring Training wasn't eye-popping, his career numbers (74 ERA-, 86 FIP-) show his potential when healthy. The Braves last saw him during the 2020 NLCS, where the Dodgers won both games he started. Facing a pitcher returning from such a long layoff presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the struggling Braves' bats.
FAQ
* **Q: Who is Chris Sale?
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* **Q: Who is Dustin May?
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* **Q: What happened in Sale's first start of 2025?
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Takeaways
- This is a critical early-season game for the Braves to avoid digging a deeper hole.
- Watch if Chris Sale can deliver a truly dominant "ace" performance to lift the team.
- Observe the Braves' offensive approach – can they be more aggressive and effective against May?
- Monitor Dustin May's effectiveness in his return from significant injuries.
Discussion
The pressure is mounting for Atlanta. Can Chris Sale play the stopper role and get the Braves their first win? *Do you think the Braves' early struggles are a blip or a sign of bigger issues? Let us know!*
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Sources
Battery Power: Atlanta Braves will try, try, again to get first win of season in Chris Sale’s second start of 2025
FanGraphs Baseball: Triple Crown Winners and Cy Young Hopefuls Headline This Year’s Crop of Opening Day Starters
FantasyPros: Chris Sale to make next start Tuesday - Chris Sale News
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