Chris Sale’s time with the Boston Red Sox included some of his best and worst times in his career. He went into the 2023 season healthy but was met a stress reaction in his scapula bone that kept him sidelined for two months before he returned for nine more starts. He lost five of those nine appearances.
Former Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale throws against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)AP
The Red Sox traded Sale to the Atlanta Braves in December 2023. But had that not been the case, Sale would have called it a career after 2024 when his contract with Boston expired.
“Before I got traded last offseason, we were planning that this year was probably going to be my last year playing,” Sale said on “Foul Territory.” “Had one more year on my contract and actually pulled our kids out of school and did homeschool this year just so we could travel.”
After Sale helped lift the Red Sox to a World Series title in 2018, he faced a slew of injuries the following years including Tommy John surgery. He also suffered a stress fracture in his ribcage, broke his pinky finger when he was drilled by a comebacker and broke his wrist riding his bicycle while rehabbing his finger.
A fresh start appeared to be exactly what Sale needed. He earned his first career Cy Young Award when he won the honor for the National League on Wednesday night after receiving 26 of a possible 30 first-place votes.
Sale also won the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award after he posted an 18-3 record and 2.38 ERA with 225 strikeouts and 47 earned runs in 29 starts in his first season with the Braves. The 35-year-old also led the majors with a FIP of 2.09 and an ERA+ of 174. The left-hander’s 225 strikeouts led the NL.
Shortly after he was traded Sale and the Braves agreed on a two-year extension that includes an $18 million club option for 2026.
