NORTH PORT, Fla. — Earlier than Chris Sale pitched in a recreation for the primary time as a Cy Younger Award winner, Braves supervisor Brian Snitker took a second to mirror on the southpaw’s unbelievable 2024 season.
“I noticed each pitch and I didn’t notice it was even nearly as good because it was,” Snitker mentioned. “While you look again on all of the accolades, it was a laundry checklist of well-earned awards. His efficiency was spectacular, and the way he goes about it — every part. It was simply enjoyable to look at.”
Snitker and the Braves acquired their newest have a look at Sale when he threw two excellent innings towards the Twins in a mutual Grapefruit League opener on Saturday afternoon at Lee Well being Sports activities Advanced. The 35-year-old southpaw wanted simply 21 pitches to finish the outing, additional distancing himself from the again spasms that sidelined him throughout final season’s remaining week.
Sale’s fastball touched 94.7 mph and averaged 93.8 mph. 4 of the six balls put in play towards him had an exit velocity of lower than 86 mph. He was fairly happy with how he felt and carried out throughout his spring debut.
“It’s good to get the primary one out of the way in which,” Sale mentioned. “I all the time get nervous earlier than begins. So, I used to be pacing [in the clubhouse] and even in between innings — it felt like perpetually. So, to get off on the appropriate foot was a great feeling.”
Sale entered final season having to show he had one thing left to supply after accidents restricted him to only 151 innings from 2020-24. The Crimson Sox gave up on him once they despatched him and $16 million to the Braves in trade for Vaughn Grissom on Dec. 30, 2023. The commerce steadily grew to become extra lopsided final season, when Sale logged 177 2/3 innings and have become the primary pitcher to win the NL Triple Crown since Clayton Kershaw in 2011.
It is going to be arduous for this 12 months to be as emotionally particular as final 12 months was for Sale. But when wholesome, he definitely has the potential to match what was some of the spectacular seasons within the historical past of the pitching-rich Braves.
Sale posted a 2.38 ERA, recorded 225 strikeouts and tied Detroit’s Tarik Skubal with an MLB-leading 18 wins.
How did Sale’s season rank inside the historical past of a franchise that has included Corridor of Famers Warren Spahn, Phil Niekro, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz? Effectively, no different Braves pitcher has posted a sub-2.40 ERA and no less than 225 strikeouts in a season since earned runs grew to become official in 1913.
Possibly it’s extra spectacular to level out that the one pitcher in franchise historical past to document a decrease ERA throughout a 200-strikeout season was Greg Maddux (2.22 ERA and 204 strikeouts in 1998).
“I do recognize [the season], and I understand how particular it was,” Sale mentioned. “However [the Braves] had some canine earlier than me that set the tone fairly good.”
Together with impressing on the mound, Sale helped strengthen the clubhouse tradition with the willpower and dedication he confirmed from the second he was acquired by Atlanta. A number of days after the commerce, he drove from his Naples space residence to the Braves’ Spring Coaching complicated to work out and get acquainted along with his new membership.
Sale made that very same 90-minute drive practically on daily basis all through Spring Coaching final 12 months. He estimates he drives 1,200 miles per week, a distance he pertains to driving from his southwestern Florida residence to Connecticut.
“I mentioned, ‘You don’t have to return up right here on daily basis,’ and he mentioned, ‘Sure, I do,’” Snitker mentioned. “He desires to be along with his teammates. It simply speaks volumes of the man.”
Sale acquired a break with Saturday’s recreation being in Fort Myers. His commute for the day was diminished to the half-hour that separates the Twins’ complicated from his household residence.
“That was good,” Sale mentioned. “I feel [the Braves] had been conscious of that.”
