Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale, the favorite for the National League Cy Young Award, is out for the Wild Card Series against the San Diego Padres because of back issues. Sale was a last-minute scratch Monday from the final game of the regular season,

On Monday, following the Braves' 3-0 win over the New York Mets that clinched a postseason berth, Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters that Sale is unlikely to be available for the Wild Card series against the Padres.

The Braves are making their way west to Petco Park. Their path to an NL Wild-Card Series matchup with the Padres has been stressed to stay the least, what with losing on Sunday to have to play Monday’s doubleheader in Atlanta, blowing a lead in Game 1 against the Mets and having to squeak through with an 3-0 victory in the nightcap. That’s not all.