MLB Sends Chris Sale Message After Historic News on Thursday
MLB Sends Chris Sale Message After Historic News on Thursday originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Chris Sale has long been recognized as one of Major League Baseball's premier pitchers. He has eight All-Star game appearances to his name, and he played on that 2018 Boston Red Sox team that won the World Series championship over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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Now 36, he remains a vital asset for the Atlanta Braves. On Thursday, during a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Braves dropped the first game 5-4 but rebounded impressively to dominate the second contest, winning 9-3.
During that second contest, Sale recorded his 2,500th career strikeout in fewer games than any other player, and MLB honored that accomplishment on its official X account.
The Braves, who won the world championship in 2021, have struggled so far this season, especially since star right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. was out of action until just days ago. They hold a 26-29 record, which puts them in third place in the National League East and 9.5 games behind the first-place Phillies.
Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale (51).Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Just last year, Sale not only got his eighth All-Star nod but also won the Cy Young Award, Gold Glove award and Triple Crown for the first time and led the majors with an earned run average of 2.38 and 225 strikeouts.
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He had to overcome Tommy John surgery in 2020 in order to return to the heights he had enjoyed several years ago when he was a regular in baseball's midseason classic, and he responded with a career-best effort in 2024.
Related: NBA Reacts to Postgame Handshake Between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
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