ATLANTA -- Chris Sale will forever be recognized for the intensity he has shown while constructing an impressive Hall of Fame resume. But when the time is right, the Braves' ace has a comical, lighthearted spirit that creates laughter -- sometimes unintentionally.
Sale recorded eight strikeouts while allowing just one unearned run over six innings in a 2-0 loss to the Cubs on Thursday night at Truist Park. He lowered his ERA to 1.96 and became the only MLB pitcher who has allowed two earned runs or fewer over at least six innings eight times this year.
But Sale’s teammates might make sure the veteran hurler’s lasting memory of this strong start will be his reaction after he struck out Miguel Amaya to end the top of the fourth inning. After Amaya swung through strike three with a runner on first base, the 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner waited for catcher Drake Baldwin to throw the ball back to him.
Knowing it was the third out, Baldwin instead threw the ball to first baseman Matt Olson. Sale then excitedly pointed toward first base to alert Olson that Cubs runner Michael Busch was off the bag.
When Sale quickly realized the third out had been recorded, he used his left index finger to raise the brim of his cap before lightheartedly turning it sideways.
This quick comical response reminded Braves manager Walt Weiss of how Sale reacted when he caught a liner from Phillies outfielder Felix Reyes before it hit his face on April 26.
“When you're at that level, I think it's probably easier for those guys to slow the game down whenever they want,” Weiss said. “You know, when he got that comebacker at him a few weeks ago, he catches the ball and then he turns around and checks his pants.”
There has been plenty for the Braves to enjoy as they have constructed an MLB-best 30-14 record. They lead the Majors in runs scored (237), but they have totaled just one run over Sale’s past two starts. Still, he is one of just four MLB pitchers with at least six wins thus far.
“It was just one of those nights,” Sale said. “It's a tough night. It’s going to happen, but you know, you can't forget that's a really good ballclub over there, and we won the series.”
The Braves won two of three at Dodger Stadium this past weekend and then lost just once during the three-game set against Chicago. This strong stretch against two of the NL’s top contenders has legitimized Atlanta’s early-season success.
Sale was burdened by a lack of support and a throwing error by shortstop Jim Jarvis in last Friday’s 3-1 loss to the Dodgers. The script in this series finale against the Cubs was similar.
The lone run the Cubs tallied against Sale came after Ha-Seong Kim made an errant toss to second base while attempting to turn a double play in the sixth. The miscue put runners on the corners, allowing Ian Happ to score on Matt Shaw’s fielder’s choice.
“It looked like the ball kind of kicked to the right on the way out to him, about halfway to him, and that got his footwork out of whack,” Weiss said.
Sale has 151 wins with a 2.98 ERA and 2,643 strikeouts over his 16-year career. He is one of nine pitchers in MLB history to have collected at least 150 wins and at least 2,500 strikeouts with a sub-3.00 ERA. The others are Tom Seaver, Christy Mathewson, Walter Johnson, Pedro Martínez, Clayton Kershaw, Bob Gibson, Cy Young and Tim Keefe. Kershaw and Sale are the only members of this group not yet elected to the Hall of Fame; Kershaw will be on the ballot for the first time in 2031.
“He’s right there with the greats,” Weiss said.