Christopher Allen Sale (born March 30, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox. He throws left-handed and is 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) tall.
A native of Lakeland, Florida, located within the Tampa Bay area, Sale played college baseball for Florida Gulf Coast University. The Chicago White Sox selected him 13th overall in the 2010 MLB draft and he made his MLB debut on August 6, 2010. He was traded to the Boston Red Sox prior to the 2017 season and was a key member of their pitching rotation that helped the team win the 2018 World Series.
Sale was an MLB All-Star for seven consecutive seasons from 2012 to 2018 and led the American League (AL) in strikeouts in 2015 and 2017. After reaching 300 strikeouts in a single season for the first time in 2017, he was selected as the AL Sporting News Starting Pitcher of the Year. Sale was the quickest to reach 2,000 career strikeouts in the fewest innings pitched (1,626). After a string of injuries derailed his final few years in Boston, Sale was traded to the Braves following the 2023 season and was later named to his eighth All-Star Game in 2024, as well as winning his first Cy Young Award, Triple Crown and Gold Glove Award. Sale was again named an All-Star in 2025 and 2026.
Contents
Early life
Christopher Allen Sale was born on March 30, 1989, in Lakeland, Florida. He attended and graduated from Lakeland Senior High School, where he played basketball and baseball. After his senior year for the Dreadnaughts, Sale was drafted in the 21st round of the 2007 Major League Baseball draft by the Colorado Rockies, but chose not to sign and instead attended Florida Gulf Coast University.
College career
Sale played college baseball for the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles baseball team under head coach Dave Tollett. During the 2010 season at FGCU, Sale posted an 11–0 win–loss record and a 2.01 ERA over 17 games. Sale pitched 103 innings while recording 146 strikeouts and 14 walks. He led the NCAA in strikeouts at the end of the regular season. Sale was named the Atlantic Sun Conference Pitcher of the Year and the Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year. He is one of four Eagles to play in the major leagues, along with pitchers Jacob Barnes, Richard Bleier, and Casey Coleman.
Like many top college players, Sale spent the NCAA offseason pitching in collegiate baseball summer leagues. In 2008, he was an All-Star for the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League, and it was during his time in Wisconsin that coaches suggested he adopt his now distinctive sidearm arm angle. In the summer of 2009, Sale pitched for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he posted a record of 4–2 with an earned run average of 1.47 and 57 strikeouts, was named MVP of the league's All-Star Game at Fenway Park, and received the league's Outstanding Pitcher award.
Professional career
Draft and minors
Sale was drafted by the White Sox with the 13th overall selection in the first round of the 2010 MLB draft. Once Sale signed with the White Sox in 2010, he was assigned to the White Sox' Class A affiliate Winston-Salem Dash. Sale pitched in four games with a 2.25 ERA in four innings, while giving up three hits and one earned run while walking two and striking out four during his tenure with the Dash. Sale was then promoted to the White Sox' Triple-A affiliate Charlotte Knights. While there, Sale pitched in seven games earning a 2.84 ERA in 6+1⁄3 innings, while giving up three hits and two earned runs while walking four and striking out 15.
Chicago White Sox (2010–2016)
Sale was called up to the majors for the first time on August 4, 2010, and made his MLB debut on August 6, against the Baltimore Orioles in the eighth inning. He was the first 2010 draft pick to be promoted to the majors and got his first major league save on September 1, 2010, against the Cleveland Indians. In 21 appearances in his rookie year, Sale went 2–1 with a 1.93 ERA, 32 strikeouts, and 4 saves.
During the 2011 season, Sale made 58 appearances out of the bullpen with a 2–2 record, a 2.79 ERA, 8 saves, and 79 strikeouts.
Sale made the transition to a starting pitcher for the 2012 season. On May 28, Sale struck out a career-high 15 batters in 7+1⁄3 innings during a 2–1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. Sale's 15 strikeouts are tied for second most in franchise history with Eddie Cicotte, Ed Walsh, and Jim Scott. Jack Harshman and Lance Lynn hold the White Sox team record with 16 strikeouts in a game. Sale was named the American League (AL) Pitcher of the Month for May with a record of 4–1, an ERA of 1.71, 35 strikeouts and a .181 opponents' average over six games.
Sale was chosen by AL All-Star manager Ron Washington to pitch in the All-Star Game, Sale's first All-Star appearance.
During the 2012 season, Sale compiled a 17–8 record, a 3.05 ERA, and 192 strikeouts in 192 innings pitched. He finished sixth in voting for the AL Cy Young Award.
On March 7, 2013, Sale and the White Sox agreed on a five-year, $32 million contract with two team option years.
On May 12, Sale threw a one-hit shutout during a 3–0 White Sox victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Sale took a perfect game into the seventh inning. With one out in the top of the seventh inning, Mike Trout singled up the middle for the only hit of the game. Sale finished the game with 7 strikeouts and no walks, allowing Trout as the only base runner. Sale began the season with a 6–8 record and a 2.85 ERA. He was named an All-Star for the second consecutive season. Sale pitched in the second and third innings, allowing no hits, no runs, no walks, and striking out two National League (NL) hitters. He was named the winning pitcher for the AL, which won the game 3–0.
Boston Red Sox (2017–2023)
On December 6, 2016, the White Sox traded Sale to the Boston Red Sox for Yoán Moncada, Michael Kopech, Luis Alexander Basabe, and Víctor Díaz. Upon joining Boston, Sale switched his uniform number from 49 to 41 because 49 is unofficially retired for Tim Wakefield.
With the 2017 Red Sox, Sale began the season by striking out 10 or more batters in eight consecutive starts, tying the major league record he already shared with Pedro Martínez. After going 11–4 with a 2.75 ERA and an MLB leading 178 strikeouts in the first half, Sale was named the AL's starting pitcher at the All-Star Game for the second consecutive season, the first pitcher to do so since Randy Johnson started for the NL in 2000 and 2001 and the first for the AL since Dave Stieb in 1983–84. Sale pitched two scoreless innings in the game, striking out two batters. In his second start after the All-Star break, Sale joined Johnson, Martínez and Nolan Ryan as the only four pitchers to have struck out 200 batters in their first 20 starts of a season. Pitching against the Toronto Blue Jays on August 29, Sale recorded his 1,500th career strikeout, becoming the fastest to do so in terms of innings pitched. At that point, he had reached 1,290 innings, surpassing Kerry Wood, who had done so in 1,303 innings. Sale reached 300 strikeouts for the season when he struck out 13 batters on September 20. It was the first 300 strikeout season since Clayton Kershaw in 2015, and the first in the AL since Martínez in 1999.
In 32 starts in 2017, Sale finished with a 17–8 record, a 2.90 ERA, and an MLB-leading 308 strikeouts. He again led the majors in strikeouts per 9 innings (12.93). The Red Sox clinched the AL East division with a 93–69 record.
In the first postseason appearance of his MLB career, Sale was the starting pitcher in Game 1 of the AL Division Series (ALDS) against the Houston Astros. He allowed nine hits and seven runs in five innings, taking the loss. Sale then pitched in relief in Game 4, allowing four hits and two runs in 4+2⁄3 innings and again taking the loss, as the Astros eliminated the Red Sox with a 5–4 win. Sale had a postseason ERA of 8.38 while striking out 12 and walking one in 9+2⁄3 innings pitched. Despite being the favorite to win the AL Cy Young award throughout the entire regular season, Sale finished second in the voting behind Corey Kluber, who won the award for a second time. Despite pitching more innings and recording more strikeouts than anyone else in baseball that season, Sale's subpar finish to the season after a blistering start (13–4 with a 2.37 ERA and 211 strikeouts in 148+1⁄3 innings (21 starts) before August 1, but 4–4 with a 4.09 ERA in 66 innings (11 starts) and 13 home runs allowed after August 1) combined with Kluber's masterful run after an abysmal start to the season followed by a month-long stint on the DL (3–2 with a 5.06 ERA in 37+1⁄3 innings (six starts) before May 2, but 15–2 with 224 strikeouts, a 1.62 ERA in 166+1⁄3 innings (23 starts), 4 complete games and a 9.74 K/BB ratio after June 1) cost Sale his best chance yet at winning the Cy Young. He did, however, finish ninth in the AL MVP voting, becoming the first Red Sox pitcher to finish that high since Pedro Martínez finished fifth in 2000.
Atlanta Braves (2024–present)
On December 30, 2023, the Red Sox traded Sale and cash considerations to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Vaughn Grissom. Days later, Sale signed a two-year, $38 million contract extension with the Braves with an $18 million club option for the 2026 season.
Sale was selected to the 2024 All-Star Game roster as a reserve, alongside teammates Marcell Ozuna and Reynaldo López.
On August 13, against the San Francisco Giants, Sale recorded his 11th game with no earned runs, 3 or fewer hits allowed, and at least 12 strikeouts, tying Sandy Koufax for third-most all-time, behind Nolan Ryan (23) and Randy Johnson (13). That same game, he and Giants pitcher Blake Snell matched shutout innings for six innings; the game was decided in extras, with the Braves winning 1–0. On September 3, Sale recorded his 200th strikeout of the season while facing the Colorado Rockies. It was the eighth time in his career and the first time in five seasons that Sale had reached the milestone. He also set a franchise record by allowing two or fewer earned runs in 15 consecutive starts.
Sale finished the regular season with a record of 18–3 and led the NL in ERA (2.38), strikeouts (225), and wins (18). He became the first Braves pitcher to win a Triple Crown. Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal earned the Triple Crown in the AL, marking the first time since 2011 that the milestone had been achieved in both leagues. Sale also won a Gold Glove Award, the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award, was named to the All-MLB First Team, and won the NL Cy Young Award, all career firsts. Skubal also won the AL Cy Young Award, marking the third time in major league history that both Cy Young recipients in one season were left-handed pitchers.
On May 29, 2025, Sale recorded his 2,500th strikeout in the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies when he struck out Edmundo Sosa. He became the 38th pitcher in MLB's modern era (since 1901) and the 40th pitcher in MLB history to reach this mark. Sale also became the fastest to reach 2,500 strikeouts in 2,026 innings, breaking the record of 2,1072⁄3 innings by Randy Johnson. On June 18, Sale pitched 8+2⁄3 scoreless innings against the New York Mets, for his longest appearance since a complete game shutout on June 5, 2019. During the ninth inning, he made a diving play from the mound, which was later attributed as the cause of a fractured rib cage. Sale was transferred to the 60-day injured list on July 1. Sale made the All-Star Game roster as a player and coach selection. Sale returned to the active roster on August 30.
Pitching style
Sale relies on four pitches: a fastball he throws between 93–101 miles per hour (150–163 km/h), a changeup at 83–89 miles per hour (134–143 km/h),
a sinker at 90–94 miles per hour (145–151 km/h), and a slider at 77–84 miles per hour (124–135 km/h). The slider, which carries a career whiff rate of 38%, is Sale's most common two-strike pitch to hitters from both sides of the plate.
Sale throws with a "funky" sidearm throwing motion, a modified motion that he learned while he stayed in college after being drafted in 2007. He is nicknamed "The Condor" because his unorthodox delivery makes him resemble a California condor. His moniker was first coined on SB Nation's South Side Sox site on April 17, 2012.
Personal life
Sale and his wife have three sons. They reside in Naples, Florida.