Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale doesn't want to get too caught up in the team's success. Sale is trying to stay focused following another solid pitching outing against the New York Yankees Friday.
“Just like we weren’t worried when it wasn’t going well, we’re not going to sit here and throw a party when it is. Just got to stay consistent, stay on the job and keep pulling your weight,” Sale said, per The Athletic.
Sale defeated the Yankees Friday, giving up one run on one hit through five innings. The team whipped New York, 8-1. It was the fifth Yankees loss in the last six games.
Sale's performance in Atlanta this season
Sale has put together several brilliant performances this season for the Braves. He has 10 wins on the year, with just two losses. The hurler is striking out batters at a fast pace, with 107 on the campaign already. He posted eight on Friday against the Yankees, which earned him the praise of Yankees slugger Juan Soto.
Sale is in his first season with the Braves. He came over this past offseason from the Boston Red Sox. Sale has a WHIP of only .93 this year. He also has a 2.91 ERA, which is a much better mark than what he earned last season in Boston. The veteran pitcher seems to have found new life with the Braves. He also provides a great deal of leadership in the clubhouse.
The pitcher is a 7-time All-Star. He won a World Series in 2018 with the Boston Red Sox, and he is the fastest pitcher to 2,000 strikeouts in MLB history. Sale accomplished that impressive feat in 1,626 total innings. He also was the AL strikeout leader during the 2015 and 2017 seasons. In his long career, Sale has pitched with the Braves, Red Sox and Chicago White Sox.
Atlanta welcomes the help in their rotation. The Braves are 42-31 on the year, good for second in the National League East division. The team is six games behind the Philadelphia Phillies. The Braves have won four in a row, heading into Saturday's games. Sale's resurgence has definitely played a large part in the team's success. The 35-year-old veteran had Tommy John surgery in 2020, missing that entire season. He's pitching now as if he is 25 again.
“Got it done. It worked out tonight,” Sale said after defeating the Yankees Friday, per the New York Post. “I’ve faced these guys quite a bit, and I’ve seen what they can do. I got too much respect for the game and too much respect for those guys to say anything other than we battled and it went my way tonight.”
Atlanta hopes it keeps going his way. The Braves, meanwhile, are going for another win against the Yankees on Saturday. The teams play at 7:15 Eastern. Braves fans are certainly very excited to see how far Sale can take them this season.
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