Chris Sale is one of MLB’s best pitchers ... and one of the fiercest competitors.
You might think he’s itching to test umpires as MLB institutes its new ABS Challenge System.
But you’d be wrong. Sale says he’s never – yes, NEVER – going to challenge.
So, why exactly, is the 9-time All-Star, 2024 NL Cy Young winner and future Hall of Famer going to abstain from this new part of the game?
“I’m not an umpire. That’s their job,” Sale said. “I’m a starting pitcher. I’ve never called balls and strikes in my life.”
It goes further than that. It seems Sale is using his self-imposed rule to not challenge as a restraint of sorts.
“I’m greedy, and I know that. I think they’re all strikes. … I like pitches that are around the corner that might be a little off,” he said.
Sale praised Atlanta’s catching tandem of Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin and their ability to frame pitches. Last season, Murphy was worth +2 framing runs, good for the 71st percentile. Baldwin, a rookie, wasn’t quite as good, coming in the 45th percentile. He also expressed concern over getting a challenge wrong and costing his team a challenge at a crucial point later in the game.
So will Sale be able to stick to his stated plan? It will be a story to watch as players across MLB adjust to the new rules.