What happened: Chris Sale praised former manager Alex Cora for shaping his all-hands-on-deck approach. He credited Cora's leadership from their 2018 World Series title together. Cora stayed in touch with Sale during the season.

Why it matters: The comments tie Atlanta's October pitching approach to championship experience under Cora. Sale's openness to versatile October use echoes his late-relief work eight years after the Boston title.

What to watch: Atlanta's Game 3 pitching plans will show how far that all-hands-on-deck approach goes.