Chris Sale, the cheap star of the Atlanta Braves, recovers after years of injuries and starts 10-2

NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Sale has emerged as the Atlanta Braves’ cheap ace.

He was an All-Star in seven consecutive seasons through 2018, but over the next five years he won only 17 games for Boston and was shipped to Atlanta last winter along with $17 million that covered most of his salary.

After dumped at a bargain price like an outlet discount, Sale joined Seth Lugo of Kansas City and Ranger Suárez of Philadelphia as the only 10-game winners in the Major Leagues, with Friday night 8-1 victory over the New York Yankees.

“I think he’s back to where he was,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

Atlanta (42-31) is 7-1 after a five-game losing streak.

“Just like we didn’t worry when things weren’t going well, we’re not going to sit here and have a party when things are going well,” Sale said. “You just have to stay consistent, stay on the ball and do your part.”

At 35, the left-hander has a record of 10-2 with a 2.91 ERA, 107 strikeouts and 16 walks in 86 2/3 innings. With one more win, he will have as many wins this year as he had from 2020-23 combined.

Snitker attributed Sale’s success to starting the offseason injury-free and entering spring training with a normal winter routine. Sale would not agree that he is mentally free of health concerns.

“It can happen at any time. You’re never really out of the woods,” he said. “I’ve been through too much to sit here and say something like that. I know what this game could be like. I just like to sit back and appreciate what I have right now, where I am and who I’m doing it with. I just really have to focus on each individual day and not try to go too far in this game.”

Sales were limited to a start from the end of July to mid-September 2018 because of shoulder inflammation, then returned and helped the Red Sox win the World Series. The following March, he was rewarded with a contract Additional $145 million over five years to 2024.

He did not play after August 13, 2019 due to inflammation of his left elbowmissed the entire pandemic-shortened 2020 season after Tommy John surgery which put him out of action until August 14, 2021. and he only threw in July 2022 due to a Stress fracture in a rib on his right side.

He returned for two starts and broke the little finger of his left finger when he was hit by a line drive from Yankees player Aaron HicksBefore Sale could return, broke his right wrist in a bicycle accident.

Sale went 6-5 with a 4.30 ERA in 20 starts last year and was traded for infielder Vaughn Grissom, who has a .148 batting average for the Red Sox this season. Atlanta then replaced Sale’s $27.5 million salary for 2024, which included $10 million deferred through 2039, with a two-year, $38 million contract.

“We saw the great Chris Sale there a lot early in his time with the Red Sox and then of course the Chris Sale who had a lot of injuries and battled through them,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He looked really good – the secondary is excellent. I thought he wasn’t the center of the plate. You can see he can throw both of his fastballs, he can reach back.”

Sales’ four-seam fastball averaged 96.4 mph, 1.7 mph more than his season average. His sinker averaged 96.1 mph, 2.3 mph more.

Aaron Judge and Juan Soto each struck out twice against Sale. Judge has 18 strikeouts against him in 30 career at-bats and Soto has six in seven at-bats.

“He was hitting the ball where he wanted it to go, and the slider was big and moving,” Soto said. “I think that’s the best Chris Sale I’ve seen since I first played against him.”

Sale leads a rotation that also includes Max Fried (6-2), Reynaldo López (5-2) and Charlie Morton (4-3), and he didn’t boast about his success against the Yankees.

“I have too much respect for the game and too much respect for the guys to say anything other than, ‘Hey, we fought and it just worked out in my favor,'” Sale said. “I’ve been on the other side of that too.”

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