Chris Sale’s Defining Performance Against the Dodgers
Chris Sale, the 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner, demonstrated his excellence on Thursday. He had delivered 97 pitches through eight innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers and approached manager Walt Weiss with a firm declaration: “This is mine.”
The left-hander needed only 12 more pitches to complete a 1-0 shutout, securing a sweep for the Atlanta Braves over the two-time defending champions. This victory also affirmed the Braves’ position as NL East leaders, as they narrowly won each game by one run.
At 37, Sale’s impressive showing reinforced his dominance in baseball. He remains a top contender in the NL Cy Young Award race, competing closely with Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski.
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On that day, Sale launched two of his fastest pitches since 2018 while Shohei Ohtani faced him. He completed his first full game since 2019. With an ERA of 2.06, Sale ranks second in the majors, just behind Misiorowski. He also extended his streak of allowing three runs or fewer to 21 starts.
Ohtani struck out twice against Sale, who finished with 11 strikeouts. “You can make an argument that, as great a career as he’s having, he’s as good now as he’s ever been,” Weiss stated. “It’s mind-boggling.”
Sale’s fastball last hit triple digits on July 6, 2018, while with the Red Sox. Boston won the World Series that year before Sale underwent Tommy John surgery.
Sale spoke about his approach, saying, “Anytime you’re facing a team like that you try to put your best foot forward. You know it’s going to be a dog fight. You know it’s not going to come easy,” during “The Pat McAfee Show.”
Sale allowed only one Dodgers player to reach scoring position. Videos shared online showed his son reacting emotionally as Sale returned for the ninth inning. “The family stuff, it’s fun,” Sale commented. “I’m glad I don’t see that stuff until after the game because that’s just so special.”
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Sale carried the weight of personal loss during this game. Before it began, he learned that Ashley Foss, a family friend, had died of cancer. Foss’ family managed Sale’s finances, and the families shared a close bond.
Although Sale’s performance stood out, Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto was noteworthy as well. The reigning World Series MVP allowed one run over 6.1 innings, which came from Braves catcher Drake Baldwin’s solo home run.
Looking ahead, the Braves host the Colorado Rockies for a three-game series, while the Dodgers travel to face the Tigers. Tarik Skubal, recently traded to Los Angeles, will pitch against his former team for the first time.
Chantz Martin works as a sports writer for Fox News Digital.