The season's second-half begins with Chris Sale on the mound

The season’s second half gets underway with Chris Sale taking the mound as the Atlanta Braves host the Texas Rangers at Truist Park on Friday, July 17 (7:15 p.m. ET). Atlanta enters at 55-40 while Texas is 49-47. Sale leads the Braves with a 2.20 ERA, posting a 1.11 WHIP and 117 strikeouts across 17 games, along with a 9-6 record. The article notes his pitching execution has been strong, but his win total can be affected by offensive inconsistency. Texas has also been hitting better against left-handed pitchers recently, setting up a competitive matchup. The Rangers counter with Cal Quantrill (3.11 ERA), who has mostly worked in relief, with 14% strikeout rate in two starts and occasional pitch-count limitations. The game is broadcast via BravesVision and MLB.tv, with radio coverage on 680 AM / 93.7 FM.