Atlanta Braves rework contract with newly acquired pitcher Chris Sale
The Atlanta Braves have signed veteran left-hander Chris Sale to a two-year, $38 million contract with an option for a third season.
Sale, 34, was scheduled to earn $27.5 million this season under terms of a five-year deal he signed with the Boston Red Sox, but after acquiring the seven-time All-Star in a trade last month for infielder Vaughn Grissom, the Braves reworked the contract to add another guaranteed year.
Sale will make $16 million this coming season and $22 million in 2025. (The Red Sox also sent Atlanta $17 million in the trade, so they'll essentially be covering his 2024 salary.) The Braves also have a club option for $18 million in 2026.
A first-round draft pick (13th overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2010, Sale has battled injuries in recent years. He missed the entire 2020 season recovering from elbow surgery and only pitched a total of 48 1/3 innings in 2021 and 2022 due to other assorted injuries.
He spent nearly two months on the injured list in 2023 with a stress reaction in his pitching shoulder, posting a 4.30 ERA in 102 2/3 innings.
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In 13 major league seasons, Sale has a 120-80 record and 3.10 ERA. He's also struck out 11.1 batters per nine innings over his career, which is the highest rate for a qualified pitcher in MLB history.
Sale has been among in the top six in AL Cy Young voting seven times, finishing as the runner-up to Corey Kluber in 2017.