The Atlanta Braves have been meticulous in how they handle Chris Sale for the last three years, making sure to give him enough rest so that he can maintain his excellent form for an entire campaign. The 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner has still spent time on the injured list, but their plan has helped him become a top-tier starting pitcher once again. All bets are off in the playoffs, though. Right?

Two days after starting Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series versus the Philadelphia Phillies, Sale made it clear he wanted to take the mound in a do-or-die Game 3. Despite holding a 6-2 lead in the eighth inning, manager Walt Weiss brought in the veteran left-hander to finish off Atlanta's longtime rival. Sale indicated that he still plans to pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday night, but nothing is official yet.

In fact, it sounds like there is serious doubt surrounding the 10-time All-Star's status for Game 2 of the NL Division Series. Although Weiss said a Sale start in LA is “still on the table,” the Braves want their ace to be fresh enough for postseason battle.

“We’re gonna err on the side of giving him (time to rest) if it’s even close,” the NL Manager of the Year candidate revealed, per ESPN's Alden Gonzalez. That statement is a far cry from Sale's confident remarks following Atlanta's series-clinching win over Philly. Weiss has been in baseball a long time, however.

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It is possible the skipper is just engaging in some good old-fashioned gamesmanship before his squad faces the two-time reigning World Series champions. The Braves are a title contender in their own right, but they will want to gain a mental edge on the Dodgers if one is attainable. Disarming the home team with a surprise pitching move seems like the perfect gambit to try in October. Dave Roberts is a veteran of this game as well, though, so he may not be caught off guard.

Of course, there is a possibility that Walt Weiss is merely telling the truth. Perhaps Atlanta will wait until it returns to Truist Park to start Chris Sale. If so, then the team's bullpen move in Game 3 of the Wild Card round will seem even more puzzling.

One thing is for certain. Sale is a warrior who has openly expressed his desire to carry a big workload in the playoffs. We shall see if the Braves trust him to run wild in Chavez Ravine. The time for speculation will soon end. Game 1 of the NLDS begins on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.