Sale (7-5) allowed one run on four hits and two walks while striking out nine over 5.2 innings to earn the win over the Pirates on Sunday.
Charlie Morton got his Atlanta curtain call with 1.1 scoreless innings to open the game before Sale took over. Sale was pitching with a lead the entire time, and the lone run he allowed was on a Joey Bart single in the sixth inning. Sale gave up just 11 runs over 36.1 innings across six appearances after returning from a fractured ribcage. For the season, the southpaw ended up with a 2.58 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 165:32 K:BB through 125.2 innings across 21 appearances (20 starts), showing that he can still pitch at an elite level at age 36. Atlanta has an $18 million team option to keep Sale around for the 2026 season if it so chooses.
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Braves' Chris Sale: Will pitch in bulk relief Sunday
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Sale will be used as a bulk reliever in Sunday's game against the Pirates, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Atlanta will use Charlie Morton as an opener in his final career appearance before Sale takes over. It will be the first relief outing for Sale since he closed out the 2018 World Series as a member of the Red Sox. While it will be unconventional usage for the lefty, Sale will have a better chance to pick up a win as a bulk reliever, and he should be available for a typical starter's workload.
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Braves' Chris Sale: Allows five runs in sixth win
Rotowire
Sale (6-5) earned the win Monday, allowing five runs on three hits and two walks over five innings in a 11-5 win over Washington. He struck out six.
Sale wasn't at his best Monday, giving up five runs for the first time since April 8. Despite missing time midseason with a fractured ribcage, the 36-year-old has generally been excellent when healthy, posting a 2.63 ERA and 1.07 WHIP across 20 starts and 120 innings. He's currently lined up to pitch Atlanta's season finale Sunday, though the team could decide Monday's outing was the lanky left-hander's last of 2025 and turn to another arm.
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Braves' Chris Sale: Dominates in no-decision
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Sale came away with a no-decision in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Nationals, scattering three hits over eight scoreless innings. He struck out nine without walking a batter.
The ace southpaw racked up 32 called or swinging strikes over 106 pitches (71 total strikes) in a dominant performance, but MacKenzie Gore and the Washington bullpen matched Sale goose egg for goose egg, until Atlanta finally broke through for five runs in the 10th inning. Sale has fanned exactly nine batters in four straight starts since returning from a rib injury, posting a 1.75 ERA, 0.74 WHIP and 36:2 K:BB through 25.2 innings. He'll look to finish out the season in style with a potential two-step, beginning early next week with a home rematch against the Nats.
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Braves' Chris Sale: Piles up nine more Ks in fifth loss
Rotowire
Sale (5-5) was charged with the loss Wednesday against the Cubs, allowing three runs on seven hits and one walk in five innings. He struck out nine.
Sale continues to rack up the strikeouts, as he's now fanned nine in three consecutive outings since coming off the injured list. The three runs allowed were his most since his April 13 start in Tampa Bay, but the All-Star southpaw has registered at least seven punchouts in 11 of his last 12 appearances dating back to the end of April. On the year, he has a stellar 2.52 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 141:28 K:BB across 107 frames. Sale is next slated to face the division-rival Nationals, who have a paltry .574 OPS against left-handed pitching since the All-Star break.
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Braves' Chris Sale: Fans nine, settles for no-decision
Rotowire
Sale didn't factor into the decision against the Mariners on Friday, allowing one run on four hits while striking out nine over 6.2 innings. He did not issue a walk.
Sale was sharp Friday, recording his second straight quality start since returning from a two-month absence. The southpaw's only trouble came in the third inning, when he allowed a double and hit Randy Arozarena with a pitch to put two runners on for the MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh, but Sale escaped unscathed as Raleigh popped out. From there, Sale settled in and cruised until the seventh, when he was pulled shortly after giving up a base hit that would come around to score. The performance continued the 36-year-old's strong return, as he's now looked dominant in both outings back in Atlanta's rotation.
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Braves' Chris Sale: Stellar in return
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Sale did not factor into the decision in Saturday's 3-2 extra-inning loss to the Phillies, allowing one run on three hits and one walk with nine strikeouts over six innings.
Sale needed just 78 pitches to log a quality start in his first outing in over two months, with a solo homer in the third inning being his only mistake. The veteran southpaw generated 15 swinging strikes and has now yielded two earned runs or fewer in 12 straight contests dating back to April 19. He'll take a 2.45 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 123:27 K:BB across 95.1 innings into a home matchup with the Mariners next weekend.
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Braves' Chris Sale: Activated for start
Rotowire
Atlanta reinstated Sale (ribs) from the 60-day injured list ahead of his start Saturday against the Phillies.
Sale made three rehab starts after landing on the injured list in late June with a fractured ribcage, posting a 2.53 ERA and 1.22 WHIP alongside an 11:3 K:BB through 10.2 innings at Triple-A Gwinnett. Now fully healthy, he'll be welcomed back to MLB action by the Phillies, against whom he tossed six shutout innings when he last faced them in late May. The veteran lefty reached just 77 pitches in his final rehab outing, however, so there's a chance Atlanta will limit his workload during his first start back from the IL. Nathan Wiles was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move.
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Braves' Chris Sale: Expected to return next week
Rotowire
Sale (ribcage) is expected to be activated from the 60-day injured list to make a start for Atlanta during next week's series in Philadelphia that begins Thursday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Sale made was likely his third and final rehab start Saturday, tossing 4.2 innings and allowing one run on four hits and zero walks with five strikeouts for Triple-A Gwinnett. He threw 77 pitches in the outing, so he could be operating with some light workload restrictions when he makes his return to the Atlanta rotation. Before landing on the shelf June 21 due to a left ribcage fracture, Sale went 5-4 with a 2.52 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 114:26 K:BB across 89.1 innings for Atlanta.
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Braves' Chris Sale: One more rehab start on tap
Rotowire
Sale (ribcage) will make one more rehab start at Double-A Columbus on Saturday before rejoining the Atlanta rotation, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Sale went four innings and threw 56 pitches in his second rehab outing Sunday with Triple-A Gwinnett, so it's not a surprise the club wants him to make one more rehab start. According to Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta is targeting Sale for roughly 75 pitches during his upcoming start with Columbus. As long as all goes well during that rehab outing, Sale will return from the 60-day injured list to make his next start with Atlanta as soon as Aug. 28 in Philadelphia. Sale has been on the shelf since June 21 due to a left ribcage fracture.
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Braves' Chris Sale: Second rehab start coming Sunday
Rotowire
Sale (ribcage) will make his second rehab start Sunday with Triple-A Gwinnett, and Atlanta could shift to a six-man rotation once he's activated from the 60-day injured list, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
After designating Carlos Carrasco for assignment Thursday to make room in the rotation for rookie Hurston Waldrep, Atlanta is currently running with a standard five-man rotation. Moving to a six-man setup for the final month-plus of the season would help manage the workloads of Waldrep, Sale and Spencer Strider, especially considering the team has only two off days in September. After his upcoming outing Sunday, Sale is likely to make another start after that to get further stretched out before slotting back into the Atlanta rotation. The veteran southpaw has been on the shelf since June 21 due to a fractured left ribcage.
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Braves' Chris Sale: Two innings in rehab start
Rotowire
Sale (ribs) was charged with one run over two innings of work in his first rehab start with Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday.
Sale permitted three hits and two walks while recording a pair of strikeouts, throwing 40 pitches over his two frames. The left-hander averaged 93.9 mph with his four-seamer, which is down one tick from his season average. Per Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Sale is likely to make two more rehab starts before rejoining the big-league rotation.
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Braves' Chris Sale: Making rehab start Tuesday
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Sale (ribs) will make his first rehab start with Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday, Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Last year's NL Cy Young winner threw 30 pitches in a simulated game Thursday and is now ready to embark on a minor-league rehab assignment, which may consist of only two starts. Sale struggled out of the gate this season but was finding his form before he injured himself on an ill-fated dive attempt, posting a 0.86 ERA and 0.89 WHIP in six starts leading up to his placement on the IL in mid-June.
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Braves' Chris Sale: Will need at least two rehab starts
Rotowire
Sale (ribs) will begin a rehab assignment next week and may need only two starts before rejoining the big-league rotation, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
"Today was a good box to check after kind of a long layoff," Sale said Thursday after throwing 30 pitches in a simulated game. "When you go through something like this, the most important thing is feeling good afterwards. And I was able to throw a lot of strikes, too. So, we'll see what tomorrow brings and go from there." The veteran southpaw has been sidelined since June 18 due to a rib injury, but he appears on track to be back before the end of the month.
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Braves' Chris Sale: Rehab start coming soon
Rotowire
Sale (ribs) threw a successful 30-pitch simulated game Thursday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
As long as Sale bounces back well Friday, he will be cleared to begin a rehab assignment. The left-hander is eligible for activation from the 60-day injured list Aug. 19, and he should be ready to go on that date or shortly after following a rehab start or two. Sale has been sidelined since mid-June with a fracture in his left ribcage.
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Braves' Chris Sale: Facing hitters Thursday
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Sale (ribs) will throw a live batting practice Thursday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Sale continues to rehab from a fracture in his left ribcage that has sidelined him since mid-June. There's no concrete plan yet for the veteran southpaw after Thursday's session, but manager Brian Snitker indicated he would probably need at least one rehab start before returning to Atlanta's rotation. Sale is eligible to be activated from the 60-day injured list Aug. 19.
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Braves' Chris Sale: Slated to face hitters soon
Rotowire
Sale (ribs) threw a bullpen session Monday and is expected to face hitters soon in live batting practice, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Sale is just over two weeks away from being eligible for activation from the 60-day injured list, but Atlanta has little reason to rush him back onto the mound. The left-hander has been sidelined since mid-June with a fractured left ribcage. Because Sale has missed so much time, he's likely to make at least one rehab start before rejoining the rotation.
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Braves' Chris Sale: Plays catch Tuesday
Rotowire
Sale (ribs) played catch Tuesday, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Sale appears to be throwing again for the first time since he was diagnosed with a fractured left ribcage nearly a month ago. The left-hander was moved to the 60-day injured list earlier this month, making him ineligible to return until the third full week of August.
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Braves' Chris Sale: No timeline for return
Rotowire
Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said Monday that while the team fully anticipates Sale to pitch again this season, it won't have a timeline until it sees how the pitcher's fractured left ribcage heals, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Sale suffered the ribcage fracture while making a diving play during his start last Wednesday against the Mets and was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday. He will remain with the major-league club on its road trip because the team travels with a machine that Sale will use to help stimulate bone healing. Atlanta should have more on Sale's progress in the coming weeks.
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Braves' Chris Sale: Back on pitching schedule Wednesday
Rotowire
Sale is scheduled to make his next start Wednesday against the Mets in Atlanta, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
After striking out a season-high 11 batters in seven innings in his most recent start last Monday in Milwaukee, Sale was denied a two-start week when Atlanta opted to push him off his previously scheduled turn Sunday against the Rockies. Grant Holmes ended up getting the start Sunday, and Sale will now end up returning to the hill on eight days' rest for the second game of the home series versus the Mets. The decision to push Sale back in the schedule wasn't the result of any health concern; instead, Atlanta simply wanted to have the reigning Cy Young Award winner make each of his next three starts against divisional rivals as the 31-39 squad looks to make up ground in the NL East. After Wednesday's outing, Sale will tentatively line up to make his next two starts June 23 on the road against the Mets and June 28 at home versus the Phillies.
