Braves GM makes Chris Sale stance clear as MLB trade deadline looms
For any fellow executives salivating while watching Chris Sale carve up the Mets on Wednesday night, Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said to slow their roll.
'Zero (chance),' Anthopoulos said on 680 'The Fan' before Wednesday's 5-0 win. 'I've seen the speculation and that's why — it's completely ridiculous to me. We're not selling, especially someone that has club control beyond the current year. Will not happen.
'I never make definitive statements unless I'm going to stick to them. Because once you make definitive statements and then you go back on them, you're a liar and you're done. Will. Not. Happen. Bold, italicize it, caps. So much so, that I'm trying to make a trade now in June just to signal to everybody, 'Hey, we will not sell.'
Chris Sale dominated the Mets on Tuesday.
Getty Images
There has been speculation about whether the underwhelming Braves will be sellers at this year's trade deadline due to their 33-39 start that has them 11 games out in the NL East.
Sale, the reigning NL Cy Young winner, would be the team's most desirable piece — assuming Ronald Acuna Jr. is off limits — due to his standout performance and team-friendly contract.
The lefty is making $22 million this year and the Braves hold an $18 million team option for next year.
Sale owns a 2.52 ERA after throwing 8 2/3 scoreless innings against the Mets on Wednesday and has a 1.41 mark spanning his last 11 games after starting the year with a 6.63 ERA through four starts.
Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos earlier this year.
MLB Photos via Getty Images
Any contender could envision adding Sale to the top of their rotation for October, but the Braves are not yet ceding in the postseason race.
They entered Thursday 5 1/2 games out of the third and final wild card spot.
Atlanta has four more games on tap against the Mets over the next week, along with sets against the Phillies and Cardinals before the All-Star break.
'We're not selling,' Anthopoulos said on the show. 'A month from now, we end up 30 games under or something crazy, I guess I would reconsider.
'We've got a talented club. It hasn't shown itself, clearly. These next two weeks leading into the All-Star break … are really important us. There's definitely a sense of urgency, there has been, but even more so now.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Cardinals vs. White Sox Game 1 Highlights
Mets vs Braves (6/17/25) | Mets Highlights Juan Soto hit a first-inning home run for the Mets, and Tyrone Taylor drove in three runs. The Braves tied the game with three runs in the eighth and capitalized in the 10th, beating the Mets 5-4. 3:18 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Juan Soto logs 1,000th career hit, joining exclusive club that includes Mickey Mantle
Juan Soto is a special talent. This is not news. But Soto joining an exclusive club is. Soto hit a two-out single for the New York Mets off of Braves starter Spencer Strider in the first inning of Thursday's game against Atlanta. The hit was the 1,000th of Soto's MLB career. In securing the hit, Soto joined an club of elite MLB talent that includes two Hall of Famers and nobody else. Advertisement Soto, who's 26 years, 237 days old now has 1,000 hits, 700-plus walks (830) and 200-plus home runs (215) in his seven-plus season MLB career. The only other players in MLB history to achieve that milestone before turning 27 are New York Yankees Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle and New York Giants Hall of Famer Mel Ott. None of the other great sluggers in MLB history have done it. The milestone speaks to Soto's blend of plate discipline, power and ability to reach base that makes him so valuable and is rivaled by few of his contemporaries. It's in large part the reason the Mets were willing to shell out a record $765 million contract to Soto in the offseason to lure him from the rival Yankees. Soto's off to a relatively slow start with the Mets while slashing .248/.387/.462 in his first 73 games with the franchise. But his history dictates that there's little for Mets fans to worry about over the long run. Soto is almost certain to deliver.
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Thin Mets rotation could receive help from Hagenman on Friday and Montas debut may soon follow
ATLANTA (AP) — A depleted New York Mets' rotation could see right-hander Justin Hagenman make his first start of the season on Friday at Philadelphia. Perhaps of more significance, the Mets debut for right-hander Frankie Montas could soon follow. The Mets on Thursday recalled Hagenman and right-handed reliever Dedniel Núñez from Triple-A Syracuse and optioned right-hander Ty Adcock to Syracuse. Right-hander Max Kranick was also placed on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow strain. Hagenman, who gave up one run in 3 1/3 innings in his only appearance for the Mets this season, was with the team for Thursday night's game at Atlanta. Manager Carlos Mendoza said Hagenman could pitch on Friday, either as a starter or in bulk relief behind an opener. Mendoza said Montas, who was placed on the IL with a strained right late on March 24, also may be ready to join the rotation despite allowing eight homers and posting a 12.05 ERA in six minor league rehab games. Montas allowed 30 hits in 18 2/3 innings in his series of rocky rehab outings. 'I mean, I'm not going to lie, you know, he got hit,' Mendoza said of Montas. 'He got hit around, you know? But look, we seen it before where guys in spring training struggle and they get hit around. And once you put him on a big league game under the lights and your game plan, and you make adjustments and they flip the switch. He's had success before at this level.' Montas, 32, signed a $34 million, two-year contract with the Mets in December. Montas missed most of the 2023 season because of shoulder surgery. He was 3-3 with a 4.53 ERA in 11 starts for Milwaukee in 2024. The Mets' rotation needs help. Right-hander Tylor Megill was placed on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with a right elbow sprain and will miss at least one month. Last week, right-hander Kodai Senga was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain. Mendoza said Kranick, who had a 3.65 ERA, returned to New York on Thursday for an MRI after having continued discomfort in his elbow on Wednesday when he played catch and then tried to throw from the mound. Kranick, 27, was recalled from Syracuse on June 13. The Mets took a five-game losing streak into Thursday night's game. Mendoza said he was encouraged by the progress of third baseman Brett Baty, who missed the first two games of the series with a groin injury. ___
