When the Braves traded for Chris Sale, they acquired a player who had not pitched much over the last few years. He came surrounded with a few questions.
The main one: How much does he have left?
Well, Braves president of baseball operations and general manager Alex Anthopoulos might have struck again. Thus far, Sale appears to be his old self.
Sale was named National League Pitcher of the Month for May. This is his fifth career Pitcher of the Month award, and his first since June and July of 2018. Before that, he hadn’t won since June 2015 and May 2012.
What this tells you: At 35 years old, Sale put together a month reminiscent of his prime. He has proven his career is not yet finished.
Dodgers starters Tyler Glasnow and Gavin Stone also received votes for the award. Sale, though, was the obvious choice.
In five starts in May, he recorded a 0.56 ERA – two earned runs over 32 innings. He struck out 45 batters and walked only two of them. Opponents hit only .193 against him. He went 5-0 during a month filled with offensive struggles, so his performances were appreciated and necessary.
During May, Sale led the majors in ERA. He ranked in strikeouts and WHIP, and was tied for seventh in opponents’ batting average. Sale is only the third Braves starter with at least 45 strikeouts in May. (Spencer Strider fanned 57 batters in May 2023, and John Smoltz punched out 46 in May 1996.)
Sale’s statistics for this monthly award don’t include his latest start – in which he allowed eight runs over four innings against Oakland – because that occurred on June 1. And before that outing, Sale was on the second-best run of his career, at least by a certain statistical measure.
In six starts from April 26 to May 26, Sale allowed only three earned runs over 39 innings – his best run since 2018. In that season, he had a 10-start stretch during which he gave up only three runs in 55 innings. That run included seven scoreless starts, six of which came consecutively.
Six years later, Sale looks to be his former self. The player who once was a perennial contender for the Cy Young Award has proven his career still has legs. He’s found a way to recapture what he once had.
The Braves have needed every bit of this, too. In addition to losing Spencer Strider for the season, they’ve also scuffled offensively for over a month. They haven’t had a starter stick in the fifth spot. They lost Ronald Acuña Jr. for the season.
Sale, though, has stepped up with a 3.06 ERA over his first 11 starts. In six of those outings, he’s pitched seven innings. He hadn’t lasted less than five frames until his most recent start. He’s been dominant and consistent.
The Braves must still keep him healthy. The questions about Sale came more so about whether he could stay on the mound enough to perform like he is now. But he’s exceeded expectations.
Sale is one of 18 pitchers in history with at least five monthly awards. He’s the eighth lefty in that group. He’s the first Braves arm to earn the honor since Max Fried in September 2021.
This monthly award is the latest sign that Sale is the best he has been since he was in his prime.
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