ATLANTA — It’s official: Chris Sale isn’t going anywhere.
The Braves have picked up the veteran left-hander’s $18 million club option for the 2026 season, securing one more year of dominance from one of baseball’s most compelling comeback stories.
For Sale, 35, this isn’t just another contract detail. It’s vindication.
A year ago, the narrative surrounding the seven-time All-Star was uncertainty — the body that had betrayed him in Boston, the doubts about whether his fire could still match his fragile frame. When the Braves traded for him before the 2024 season, the move felt like a gamble on belief.
Now, that gamble looks like genius.
Sale’s first full season in Atlanta was everything the Braves could have hoped for — and more. He posted a 2.88 ERA with 212 strikeouts in 175 innings, anchoring a rotation that blended youth and veteran poise. But beyond the numbers, he brought something intangible — presence, hunger, and the unrelenting will that defined his peak years in Chicago and Boston.
“He changed the entire tone of the clubhouse,” one Braves coach said. “When Chris takes the ball, it’s war. And that mentality spread.”
The decision to pick up his option was an easy one, according to team sources. President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos, who has made a career out of bold and calculated moves, made it clear that keeping Sale was “a no-brainer.”
“Chris embodies everything we want our pitchers to be — fearless, focused, and relentless,” Anthopoulos said in a brief statement. “He’s earned every bit of this.”
For Sale, the feeling is mutual.
In several postgame interviews late in the season, he spoke glowingly about Atlanta’s culture — the camaraderie, the shared purpose, and the simplicity of playing for a team that just wants to win.
“I love it here,” Sale said. “It feels like home. These guys play for each other, and that’s the only thing I ever wanted to be part of.”
It’s hard not to draw parallels between Sale’s journey and the Braves’ own evolution. Both have known greatness — and heartbreak. Both have been doubted. And both have found new life in resilience.
Sale’s 2025 campaign reminded fans why, when healthy, he’s one of the fiercest competitors of his generation. The fastball might not touch 99 anymore, but the precision, command, and intensity remain elite. His slider still vanishes like smoke, and his eyes — that unmistakable glare from the mound — still carry the same fire that once defined October baseball at Fenway.
The Braves, too, are betting that the best is yet to come. With Spencer Strider recovering, Max Fried entering his prime, and Sale locked in for another year, Atlanta’s rotation might be as dangerous as any in baseball.
Fans at Truist Park have already embraced the lefty as one of their own. From his post-strikeout screams to his fiery dugout demeanor, Sale embodies the spirit of Atlanta — proud, defiant, and all in.
As one fan sign read during his last start of 2025: “SALE’S NOT DONE — HE’S JUST GETTING STARTED.”
And with his 2026 option now picked up, that sentiment feels more true than ever.
For Chris Sale and the Braves, the story continues — one more year, one more chase, one more chance to make history.
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