Chris Sale was supposed to be a starter, which is the sort of detail an ace tends to forget when October arrives and the bullpen door is open. On Thursday night, on one day of rest, he came out of it and recorded four outs to finish the Phillies in a 6-2 win. The deciding Game 3 of the wild-card series ended with the Braves' best pitcher doing the closer's job and ESPN calling it "electric", which is the right word for once.

Four outs is a small number. It is also the number that separates a division series from a long flight home, and Atlanta spent its most valuable arm to buy it. That is how a best-of-three works. There is no savings account in a series that short, only a credit card, and the Braves swiped it with their ace.

The bill arrives Saturday. The Dodgers will give Tarik Skubal the ball in Game 1 of the National League Division Series against Atlanta, a source told ESPN on Friday. Philadelphia got a Sale who had already pitched. Los Angeles gets a Braves team that has already spent him.

Trace the capital, and it runs one way. A wild-card round exists so the better-seeded teams get rest and the others burn pitching to earn a seat. Atlanta earned the seat. Whatever that cost it in arms, the Dodgers, two-time defending champions with Skubal opening, are the ones collecting the interest.

I have no idea whether Sale's left arm wants a conversation with anyone this weekend. My read is that Atlanta would take the trade again, and that the Braves will find out on Saturday whether the receipt was worth it.