MLB Game Recap: Sale Shuts Down Royals

Brett Davis - USA Today

The Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Royals kicked off their 2026 seasons this evening at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. Chris Sale and Cole Ragans got the ball for their respective teams.

Kansas City Royals Starting Lineup

3B – Maikel Garcia
SS – Bobby Witt Jr.
CF – Lane Thomas
C – Salvador Perez
1B – Vinnie Pasquantino
RF – Starling Marte
2B – Jonathan India
LF – Isaac Collins
DH – Carter Jensen

LHP – Cole Ragans

Atlanta Braves Starting Lineup

RF – Ronald Acuna
DH – Drake Baldwin
2B – Ozzie Albies
1B – Matt Olson
3B – Austin Riley
LF – Eli White
SS – Mauricio Dubon
C – Jonah Heim
CF – Michael Harris

LHP – Chris Sale

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Royals vs. Braves

Scoring

The Braves opened the scoring in the bottom of the first as Ozzie Albies hit a solo home run. In the bottom of the third, it was Drake Baldwin’s turn as he hit a solo home run to make it 2-0 Atlanta. The Braves, in the bottom of the fourth, added on as Michael Harris hit a two-run home run to make it 4-0. In the bottom of the seventh, Atlanta added more after a one-out double from Matt Olson and an Austin Riley single, Mauricio Dubon doubled home both to make it 6-0.

Pitching

Kansas City

Ragans got the season started for the Royals. He last four innings, allowing four runs on six hits; he walked four and struck out five. Bailey Falter was first out of the bullpen for the Royals. He went three innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He didn’t issue a walk and struck out four. Alex Lange got the eighth, and he didn’t allow a base runner and had a strikeout.

Atlanta

Sale took the ball on Opening Day for the second straight season for Atlanta. He went six shutout innings, allowing three hits. He walked three and struck out six. Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez, and Tyler Kinley got tasked with keeping the shutout intact, and they did just that. The three combined to allow two hits, no runs or walks, and two strikeouts.

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Next Up:

These two teams will meet tomorrow, with the first pitch set for 7:15 PM EST. Michael Wacha takes the ball for the Royals while Reynaldo Lopez gets the ball for Atlanta.

Chris Lavallee

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