The Atlanta Braves used a dominant start from Chris Sale and a trio of home runs to overpower the Kansas City Royals in a 6-0 opening night victory on Friday.
Sale dominates in Braves debut
Chris Sale provided a much-needed boost for an injury-plagued Atlanta rotation, earning the win after allowing just three hits over six innings. Sale struck out six batters and issued three walks before turning the game over to a revamped bullpen. The Braves offense supported him early with solo home runs from Ozzie Albies in the first inning and reigning NL Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin in the third.
Michael Harris II extended the lead with a two-run shot in the fourth inning off Royals starter Cole Ragans. Ragans took the loss after surrendered six hits and four walks in four innings of work. Atlanta newcomer Mauricio Dubón capped the scoring with a two-run double in the seventh.
While the energy at the ballpark was high, it remains to be seen how the pitching rotation will hold up over the full season following injury struggles last year.
While Sale looked sharp, the long-term stability of the rotation remains unclear following the loss of several key arms during camp. The team has not yet provided a specific timeline for the return of Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, or Hurston Waldrep.
This season marks the 60th anniversary of the Braves moving to Atlanta. The franchise previously called Boston and Milwaukee home before arriving in Georgia. To honor the milestone, a special pre-game ceremony featured a video highlighting the past six decades. Iconic players, including Dale Murphy and Chipper Jones, took to the field to represent each decade of the team’s history in Atlanta.
“The atmosphere, the people, there’s no other place to be on a Friday night, I love it!” said fan Marzell Usher. Usher noted the journey of the team from Milwaukee and Boston to the current “wonderful” field.
Jason Harris, a fan who has visited every MLB stadium, insisted there is “no place like home” for the excitement of a new season.
Regarding the team’s outlook, fan Kevin Gore shared his optimism. “There’s so much tradition here, hope we get back on track,” Gore said. “We had injuries last season, if we get our pitcher rotation back, we have a chance to this year.”
New era begins at Truist Park
The win marked a successful debut for new Braves manager Walt Weiss. Taking over for Brian Snitker, Weiss secured his first managerial victory since his tenure with the Colorado Rockies ended in 2016. The Atlanta faithful also saw a glimpse of the new-look bullpen, as former San Diego closer Robert Suárez pitched a scoreless eighth inning in his new role as the primary set-up man for Raisel Iglesias.
Power and pitching by the numbers
- 3: Home runs hit by the Braves (Albies, Baldwin, Harris II).
- 6: Strikeouts recorded by Chris Sale in his season debut.
- 0: Runs allowed by the Braves pitching staff on opening night.
- 1-0: Chris Sale’s record following the victory.
- 6-0: The final score
- 60: The number of years since the Braves moved to Atlanta.
- 1966: The year the Braves began their first season in Atlanta after leaving Milwaukee.
- 2: Former stadiums (Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and Turner Field) used before the move to Truist Park.
Starters return to the mound
The series continues at Truist Park on Saturday. The Royals will send right-hander Michael Wacha to the mound, who holds a career 4.42 ERA against Atlanta. The Braves will counter with Reynaldo López, who is making his first start in exactly one year after missing most of the 2025 season with shoulder issues.
