It was an exciting Wednesday night for Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale as besides facing his former team in the Boston Red Sox, he was marvelous in the outing leading to a 5-0 shutout victory for the home team in Truist Park. Sale spoke after the game about the performance and what it was like wearing a Braves uniform taking down the team he was previously on for six seasons and made countless memories with.
The 35-year old pitcher was dynamite in the outing as he went six innings, allowing six hits, walked a batter once, and struck out 10 Red Sox hitters while also earning zero earned runs. He said after the game the media during his press conference that he had to get through the “first few innings” since they were in “deep counts,” but really found his footing afterwards according to NESN.
“The first few innings was getting into some deep counts,” Sale said to reporters as it was seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “Pitch count got up there pretty good. You get through the first inning and you kind of take an exhale. Next thing you know, you’ve got four runs on the board. That helps a lot too.”
Sale reflects on time with Boston and winning a championship
Even though at the end of the day it's competition, Sale still has appreciation for the Red Sox organization as he had many productive seasons, despite having some injury spells. However, the greatest accomplishment of them all was when Sale was a factor in Boston winning the World Series championship in 2018 which the Florida-native remembers fondly.
“We won a championship together,” Sale said. “I watched Rafael Devers make his major-league debut and turn into a $300 million superstar. I was watching Kutter Crawford at (Florida Gulf Coast University). That guy’s like a little brother to me. Even Nick Pivetta, he lived in southwest Florida and we had an entire offseason together. The list goes on and on. I could sit here and talk about (Alex Cora) for the next three hours. It is different.”
While there was some great memories, Sale would eventually be traded in December of 2023 along with cash considerations from the Red Sox to the Braves in exchange for Vaughn Grissom. This fueled the fire for Sale as he wanted to prove that even with all the criticism about his inability to stay healthy, he “got after it” according to ESPN.
“I went into the offseason on a mission,” Sale said. “I got after it, I knew I had to do it this year.”
Red Sox manager follows Sale even with the Braves
So far, he is living up to his goals as so far on the season, he has a 5-1 record, a 2.95 ERA, 52 strikeouts, and a 0.98 WHIP. Sale is looking to bolster what is already a great Atlanta team as they have championship aspirations of their own, but they will need the pitcher more than anything with the injury to Spencer Strider.
If there is someone who has been following Sale's young stint with the Braves, it has been Red Sox manager Alex Cora whom the two worked closely with each other. He even admitted before the two teams faced off that he does “wish he was still with us and helping these kids to become big league players” according to MassLive.com.
“I’m following. I knew a while ago he’s pitching that day,” Cora said. “It’s going to be great. We still have a job to do. Awkward? Of course. I wish he was still with us and helping these kids to become big league players and keep getting better. But understanding how it goes — we have a good one (Grissom) and they have a good one. Very proud of him.”
Cora uses NSFW response to address Sale's critics
Cora would talk in length about the critics of Sale and fight back the comments about his injury history and respond with an NSFW comment. He even mentioned the time when “he broke his wrist riding his bicycle home after throwing at Boston College in August 2022 while working his way back from another injury.”
“The guy is special,” Cora said. “I know people make jokes about him, the injuries and the bike and all that stuff, which I think is f****** bull-s*** because this guy did everything possible to be on the field.”
For Cora, he is ecstatic about the next time the Red Sox face the Braves and more specifically Sale in Fenway Park so he can “get the ovation he deserves.” From the way the skipper is talking, there's no doubt that Sale has a coaching job in the future in Boston if he would want it.
“I can’t wait for him to get back to Fenway and get the ovation he deserves,” Cora said. “Because out of all the guys here that have been part of this since 2018, all the way until now, he went through the ups and downs and he took his punches. But like I’ve said, nobody can take away that ring from ‘18.”
Sale still in touch with the Red Sox program
Even though he is providing some stellar innings for the Braves in their quest for the World Series, Cora said that Sale has “been in touch” and even “helping our guys” as he still talks to Red Sox stars like Kutter Crawford and Tanner Houck. Cora appreciates that even for players that are not in the franchise anymore, they are still involved somewhat as he talks about the work ethic of Sale and the great times the two had with one another.
“I’m very proud of him,” Cora said. “He’s been in touch. He’s been helping our guys, too. He talks to Kutter (Crawford) and to Tanner (Houck). He’s in tune like everybody else. And that’s the thing I take more pride of in my job — like these guys are still part of the organization even from afar. They watch and they know what’s going on. And that’s pretty cool.”
“I know how much work he had to put (in) to be out there every five days,” Cora said. “Last year, he made a point to show people what it takes to be a big leaguer. We had that outing in Kansas City. He was throwing like 85, 86 if I’m not mistaken. And he went 5 (innings). That was the game I went out with two outs and bases loaded or whatever — he walked two guys — and he was like, ‘One more hitter?’ And I say, ‘Well, throw (expletive) strikes.’ And it was 94, 95, 96. And he was like, ‘You should have come out earlier.’ But he cares about the players. He cared about the program. He still does. Since day one, that outing in Tampa, all the way to the last one last year in Baltimore, he was amazing. He is amazing.”
While Sale and Cora will appreciate the championship that was won in 2018 and even the other seasons with the Red Sox, the former is looking for more gold with the Braves. Atlanta is currently 22-12 on the season which puts them second behind the Philadelphia Phillies (26-12) as they now start a three-game series against the New York Mets starting Friday night.
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