Chris Sale finally looked like Chris Sale again, and it was not a moment too soon for the Atlanta Braves. After a month of frustration, velocity anxiety, and plenty of self-blame, Sale dialed up a performance that felt like something was clicking for the first time this season, not just surviving but competing.
Five innings, one run, five hits, two walks, four Ks — and every single one of those strikeouts? Came courtesy of that devastating slider. Yes, the same one that’s been flirting with inconsistency. Not Friday.
The Stats Finally Match the Stuff
Heading into the Arizona series, Sale’s season was a bit of a head-scratcher. He couldn’t get through five innings in three of his five starts, was handing out homers like Halloween candy, and had Braves fans squinting at the mound asking, “Is he okay?”
His ERA was bloated, and his demeanor was even more so. Even after a win on April 8, he admitted he’d lie awake at 3 a.m. dissecting every pitch. That’s not dramatics — that’s a man tormented by his own standard of excellence.
On Friday, though? He got results that mirrored the movement. His fastball averaged 94.8 mph and topped out at 97.1. The slider got ten swinging strikes.
The location, the tilt, the tempo — it all clicked. And maybe most impressive: only four balls were hit hard in fair territory. That’s what command looks like. That’s what dominance smells like in a box score.
Mindset Matters in May
More than the radar gun readings or strikeout tallies, it’s the attitude that’s shifting. You could hear it postgame. You could see it in the way he walked off the mound. This wasn’t a pitcher hoping to hang on. This is a guy who expects to win and expects to win by being the reason.
Sale has never deflected blame, but now he’s not just accepting responsibility — he’s owning outcomes. That’s the emotional hinge that separates a rebound season from a retirement tour.
A Familiar Flicker of Braves Dominance
The date of this strong outing, April 26, 2025, is the exact anniversary of the night last season when Sale allowed just one earned run for the first time. That night lit the fuse on a five-start stretch where he posted a 0.56 ERA and secured NL Pitcher of the Month.
He’s been slightly different this year — not quite as deep into games, with one more start under his belt — but the result on this date is identical. A one-run game. A sigh of relief. And maybe the start of something more.
