Chris Sale is doing exactly what the Atlanta Braves hoped for this spring—building up his workload, refining his command, and showing that last season’s dominance was no fluke.
Sale turned in his longest outing of the spring against his former team, the Boston Red Sox. He went six innings allowing two runs on four hits with one walk and nine strikeouts. Both of those runs came from solo homers, but he looked locked in.
Sale’s Workload Progression
Sale’s pitch count was one of the most encouraging signs, ramping up to 83 pitches in this start. That is an increase from the 66 in his previous outing.
He looked great and was very efficient, throwing 71% of his pitches for strikes. That kind of sharpness this early in the year bodes well for a Braves team that will need him to eat innings in 2025, especially with Max Fried now out of the picture.
A deep Sale outing means good things for Atlanta if history is any indicator. Last season, he pitched at least six innings in 19 of his 29 starts. The Braves won 15 of those games, proving just how valuable he is when he gets deep into a contest. And given how strong his command looked in this start, it’s safe to say he’s again on track to be a workhorse.
A Strong Response After a Rough Outing
Every pitcher is bound to have a bad day, and Sale had his on March 10 when the Rays roughed him up. But what separates the greats is how they bounce back, and Sale clearly made some key adjustments.
Before that March 10th start, he hadn’t even given up a hit all spring. The adversity gave him something to work on, and he responded by getting right back to business against Boston.
Let’s not forget—this is a guy coming off one of the best seasons of his career. Sale finished 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, 225 strikeouts in 2024 earning him an NL Cy Young Award. He also picked up the National League Comeback Player of the Year Award and his first career Gold Glove. Not bad for someone many had written off after years of injuries.
What the Braves Expect in 2025
Projections for Sale in 2025 suggest another strong campaign. Fangraphs predicts a 14-8 record with a 3.07 ERA and 230 strikeouts in 182 innings over 31 starts.
If he stays healthy, there’s no reason to believe he won’t be a force once again. The Braves are built to contend, and having a true ace at the top of the rotation only strengthens their case as a World Series favorite.
The Braves ended up beating the Red Sox 7-3 in the first of their two split-squad games on Saturday. Meanwhile, the other half of the roster was in North Port, where young right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver took the mound against the Minnesota Twins. But the big story of the day? Chris Sale looks ready to dominate once again.
