If any MLB team would have their way, they would want to go through a postseason run entirely unbeaten. This would spare them from most of the stress that comes with competing for a World Series title. But the margins between teams are razor-thin, making such a dream impossible. However, for the Atlanta Braves, if you're gonna lose a playoff game anyway, you might as well do it the smart way.

The Wild Card round stretched the Braves' pitching thin, as Chris Sale had to come on in relief in Game 3 to shut the door against the Philadelphia Phillies. Thus, Sale would not start for Atlanta in the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers until Game 3 at the earliest. The quick turnaround put them in a difficult spot for Game 1, which they lost, 5-3, to the Dodgers.

But with the game getting away from the Braves, this allowed manager Walt Weiss to conserve his best bullpen arms for Game 2. The fresh bullpen then powered Atlanta's Game 3 win over LA to even up the series as they head to Truist Park.

“I think losing the way we did [Saturday] allowed us to do what we did tonight and gain the split,” Weiss said on Sunday, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

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The Braves' gambit worked. Now, Sale is fresh for Game 3 on Tuesday, and having him start that game instead of pushing him to pitch on short rest in Game 2 may have hampered his level of play. Moreover, as Nightengale added, Sale should now be available to come off the bullpen for a potential Game 5.

“We didn’t want to have a diminished Chris Sale twice. It didn’t make sense to us. To us, it’s the best case scenario as we possibly can. Now, we have a fresh Chris Sale ready to go,” Weiss added.

Game 3 of the Braves-Dodgers NLDS clash is on 6:00 PM E.T. on Tuesday night.