A whirlwind Monday for the Atlanta Braves has taken a serious turn for the worse. Just minutes after losing the first game of a season-defining doubleheader to the New York Mets on Monday, the team has scratched Cy Young favorite Chris Sale from Game 2 due to back spasms, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com.

The Braves will start Grant Holmes in his place and the team has not announced any further details regarding Sale's status beyond Monday.

Sale initially reported the problem around noon on Monday, but the team hoped that treatment during the day could help get him on the mound,ESPN's Buster Olney reported on-air.

Atlanta and New York both entered the day needing to win one game of the twin-bill to clinch a postseason spot. The Mets came from behind in a truly wild first game to clinch earlier in the afternoon. If the Braves win the next game, scheduled to start at 4:50 p.m., they will go to the playoffs. A loss will give the final National League postseason spot to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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Holmes, a 28-year-old rookie, appeared in 25 games for the Braves this year, starting six. He has pitched to a 3.78 ERA with 63 strikeouts in 64.1 innings. He has not faced the Mets this season.

Sale, meanwhile, is exactly the pitcher the Braves would have wanted on the mound in a must-win situation. The 2024 National League ERA champion (2.38) also led the league in wins (18), strikeouts (225), FIP (2.09), and home runs allowed per nine innings (0.5).

At 35, Sale has had a renaissance season, making his first All-Star team since 2018 with the Red Sox. Injuries plagued the eight-time All-Star until this season, when he made 29 starts. However, he has not pitched since September 19, and even if the Braves win and make the postseason, he will have spent a concerning amount of time on the shelf between appearances.

But that's a worry for another time, for Atlanta. The Braves remain in a win-and-their-in situation, and only their rivals to the north stand in their way.