Soon to be 35 years old, veteran pitcher Chris Sale finds himself in Atlanta after being dealt from the Boston Red Sox in the offseason. In return for sending Chris Sale to the Braves, Atlanta sent over the 23-year-old infielder Vaughn Grissom. Grissom appeared to be the shortstop of the future in Atlanta after the departure of Dansby Swanson. Grissom struggled in his minor league stints but is still very young. He has tons of club control which the Red Sox saw clear value in.
As for Sale, there’s a reason why the Braves got him. Adding the left-hander to the rotation will help with their latest championship run. Here is how Sale can recapture some of his old magic.
Chris Sale’s Injury History
Having already built a name for himself in Boston, Sale will slide into the Braves’ already dominant rotation. His biggest obstacle, however, might be his own availability. Since 2019, Sale has been very injury-prone and has not been able to give his team consistent innings. However, most baseball fans know just how talented Sale is, being a seven-time All-Star and World Series champion in 2018. He holds a 120-80 career record with an impressive career 3.10 ERA.
From 2013-2018, he finished top five in the Cy Young voting, showing how consistently dominant he was. Talent was never the issue for Sale. The only question for Atlanta will be his ability to stay off the injury list. Sale has only pitched about 150 innings since the start of the 2021 season. It is evident that as he has aged, his arm has taken a toll.
For the most part, Sale has had various injuries throughout his career. These injuries range from a rib stress fracture to a UCL injury that required reconstructive Tommy John surgery. With this in mind, many fans are left wondering why management sought to acquire Sale. More cost oriented fans, however, are excited. The reason being is that Boston is paying $17 million of his contract. This was a no-brainer for Atlanta to add an arm with immense potential to recapture his past success.
Sale’s Role and Mindset
Chris Sale will most likely slide into the fourth slot in the rotation behind Spencer Strider, Max Fried, and Charlie Morton, respectively. This already dominant starting rotation could propel to top-tier status if Sale can stay healthy. Now, if Sale does not perform to expectations, there is much less risk since Boston is paying the majority of the contract.
From an outside perspective, this seems like a very fair trade for both Boston and Atlanta. Boston gets a young and talented shortstop who has many years of club control. on the other hand, Atlanta takes a shot on a former ace. Personally, I believe that this trade will be very beneficial for the both teams.
Sale will slot in the rotation which will relieve a lot of pressure and should allow him more recovery time. Atlanta should be cautious with Sale given the intense injury history. According to most 2024 projections, Sale is expected to pitch about 130 innings with a 3.80 ERA. This will be very important in supporting Strider, Fried and Morton.
This would be considered a successful season for Sale considering he only started 11 games in 2021 and 2022 combined. Anything more than 130-140 innings pitched should be considered a bonus and will help Atlanta try to keep pace with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL. Currently, the Braves are sitting as the 2nd betting favorites to win the 2024 World Series at +450 odds, behind only the Dodgers. With a complete lineup and a dominant starting rotation, look for Atlanta to win the NL East division and head to the playoffs for the seventh straight year.
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