On Wednesday night in Atlanta, the 19-17 Red Sox will face the 21-12 Braves and for the first time since 2016, Chris Sale.

Through his first six Braves starts, the former Red Sox southpaw owns a 3.44 ERA and 42 strikeouts over 36.2 innings. He’ll go up against former rotation-mate Nick Pivetta, whom the Red Sox reinstated from the 15-day injured list (mild flexor strain) on Wednesday afternoon.

Romy Gonzalez is also back from the injured list and will start at first base and bat seventh for the Red Sox.

The Red Sox will have to make do without their southpaw slayer, Rob Refsnyder, who continues to rest a tight left-hamstring. Over three seasons in Boston, he’s hitting .321/.426/.459 with 63 hits – including 13 doubles, one triple, four home runs – and 33 runs, 30 RBI, four stolen bases, 33 walks, and 45 strikeouts in 196 at-bats against lefties.

Red Sox lineup (May 8)

Jarren Duran CF

Connor Wong C

Tyler O’Neill LF

Rafael Devers 3B

Vaughn Grissom 2B

Garrett Cooper DH

Romy Gonzalez 1B

Wilyer Abreu RF

Ceddanne Rafaela SS

Braves lineup (May 8)

Ronald Acuña Jr. RF

Ozzie Albies 2B

Austin Riley 3B

Matt Olson 1B

Marcell Ozuna DH

Orlando Arcia SS

Michael Harris II CF

Travis D’Arnaud C

Jarred Kelenic LF

Red Sox vs. Braves probable starting pitchers

RHP Nick Pivetta vs. LHP Chris Sale

How to watch Red Sox vs. Braves (May 8)

When: 7:20 p.m. ET

Where: Truist Park, Atlanta GA

TV: NESN, Bally Sports South (Blackout restrictions may apply)

Red Sox radio: WEEI 93.7 FM, WCCM 1490 AM (Spanish)

Braves radio: 680 The Fan, 93.7 FM

May 8 in baseball history

1896: The St. Louis Browns (now Cardinals) fire new manager Harry Diddlebock after 17 games due to intoxication. According to various reports, he’d either fallen off a barstool after drinking too much, or found on the street by law enforcement, having fallen off of a streetcar.

1900: Decades before Curt Flood takes a stand, John McGraw and Wilbert Robinson become rarities in baseball when they sign contracts with the Cardinals in which the reserve clauses are crossed out. As a result, they’re able to leave St. Louis the following year and continue on their respective paths to managing and the Baseball Hall of Fame.

1901: In their inaugural season, the Boston Americans (now Red Sox) play their inaugural home opener. Buck Freeman finishes a double shy of the cycle, and Cy Young pitches his third consecutive complete game.

1906: Playing left field, Philadelphia Athletics pitcher Albert Bender hits two inside-the-park home runs against the Red Sox.

1925: At Braves Field, the Boston Braves and Chicago Cubs play the Golden Jubilee game to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National League and its first major league game (Boston Red Caps vs. Philadelphia Athletics, April 22, 1876). Other NL teams will follow suit throughout the season, but the Braves and Cubs are the only remaining clubs from the original NL charter.

1926: A three-alarm fire destroys most Fenway Park’s left-field grandstand seating.The ruined bleacher sections aren’t removed until August, and the Red Sox don’t fully repair the area until Tom Yawkey purchases the club in 1933 and pays for renovations that include the Green Monster.

1942: The Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants play the first ‘twilight game’ in 24 years. Everyone from fans to players and umpires have to pay for admission to the contest at Ebbets Field, which raises nearly $60,000 for the Navy Relief Fund.

1946: Red Sox infielder Johnny Pesky becomes the first American Leaguer to score as many as six runs in a single game.

1953: Billy Goodman’s walk-off home run in the 11th inning snaps the Red Sox’s streak of 13 consecutive losses to the Yankees.

1957: After almost 11 years, Ted Williams records his second career three-homer game. His third and final such contest will come barely a month later, on June 13.

1961: New York’s new NL team is officially named the “Mets.”

1963: Stan Musial’s home run against the Dodgers breaks Babe Ruth’s MLB-record 1,356 extra-base hits.

1966: The Cardinals acquire future Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda from the San Francisco Giants while hosting them for the last-ever game at old Busch Stadium.

1998: Mark McGwire becomes the fastest player ever to join the 400 Home Run Club, beating Babe Ruth by 127 at-bats.

2010: Mark Teixeira matches Lou Gehrig’s Yankees record with a three-homer game against the Red Sox.

2015: Jonathan Papelbon ties Phillies’ all-time saves leader Jose Mesa. The closer, who is already the Red Sox all-time saves leader with 219, will take Mesa’s crown less than a week later.

(Sources: Baseball-Reference, SABR, Nationalpastime.com)