Chris Sale facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chris Sale
Sale with the Boston Red Sox in 2017
Atlanta Braves – No. 51
Pitcher
Born: (1989-03-30) March 30, 1989 (age 36) Lakeland, Florida, U.S.
Bats: Left Throws: Left
debut
August 6, 2010, for the Chicago White Sox
MLB statistics (through 2024 season)
Win–loss record	138–83
Earned run average	3.04
Strikeouts	2,414
Teams
Chicago White Sox (2010–2016) Boston Red Sox (2017–2019, 2021–2023) Atlanta Braves (2024–present)
Career highlights and awards
8× All-Star (2012–2018, 2024) World Series champion (2018) NL Cy Young Award (2024) Triple Crown (2024) All-MLB First Team (2024) Gold Glove Award (2024) NL Comeback Player of the Year (2024) NL wins leader (2024) NL ERA leader (2024) 3× strikeout leader (2015, 2017, 2024)

Christopher Allen Sale (born March 30, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher. He plays for the Atlanta Braves in Major League Baseball (MLB). He used to play for the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox. Chris throws with his left hand and is about 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) tall.

Chris grew up in Lakeland, Florida. He played college baseball at Florida Gulf Coast University. The White Sox picked him 13th in the 2010 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut on August 6, 2010. Before the 2017 season, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox. He helped the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series.

Sale was an MLB All-Star for seven years in a row (2012-2018). He led the American League (AL) in strikeouts in 2015 and 2017. In 2017, he got 300 strikeouts in one season. He was named the AL Sporting News Starting Pitcher of the Year. Chris was the fastest pitcher to reach 2,000 career strikeouts. He did it in the fewest innings pitched (1,626). After several injuries in Boston, Sale was traded to the Braves in 2023. In 2024, he became an All-Star again. He also won his first Cy Young Award, Triple Crown, and Gold Glove Award.

Early Life and College Baseball

Growing Up in Florida

Christopher Allen Sale was born on March 30, 1989, in Lakeland, Florida. He went to Lakeland Senior High School. There, he played both basketball and baseball. After high school, the Colorado Rockies drafted him in 2007. But Chris decided not to sign with them. Instead, he chose to go to Florida Gulf Coast University.

Playing for the Eagles

Sale played college baseball for the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. In 2010, he had an amazing season. He won 11 games and lost none. His ERA was 2.01 over 17 games. He pitched 103 innings and had 146 strikeouts. He also walked only 14 batters. Chris led the NCAA in strikeouts that year. He was named the Atlantic Sun Conference Pitcher of the Year. He also won the Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year award.

During college summers, Sale played in summer baseball leagues. In 2008, he was an All-Star for the La Crosse Loggers. Coaches there suggested he try his unique low throwing style. In 2009, he played for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox. He had a 4–2 record with a 1.47 ERA. He also had 57 strikeouts. He was named MVP of the league's All-Star Game. He also won the Outstanding Pitcher award.

Professional Baseball Career

Starting in the Minors

The White Sox picked Chris Sale as the 13th overall player in the 2010 MLB Draft. After signing, he played for the Winston-Salem Dash (Class A). He pitched in four games with a 2.25 ERA. Then, he moved up to the Charlotte Knights (Triple-A). There, he pitched in seven games with a 2.84 ERA.

Chicago White Sox (2010–2016)

First Years in MLB (2010-2011)

Sale was called up to the major leagues on August 4, 2010. He made his MLB debut on August 6 against the Baltimore Orioles. He was the first player from the 2010 draft to reach the majors. On September 1, 2010, he got his first major league save. In his first year, Sale pitched in 21 games. He had a 2–1 record with a 1.93 ERA. He also had 32 strikeouts and 4 saves.

Sale with the White Sox in 2011

In the 2011 season, Sale pitched out of the bullpen. He appeared in 58 games. He finished with a 2–2 record, a 2.79 ERA, 8 saves, and 79 strikeouts.

Becoming a Starter (2012-2014)

In 2012, Sale became a starting pitcher. On May 28, he struck out 15 batters. This was a career high for him at the time. He was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for May. He had a 4–1 record and a 1.71 ERA. Sale was chosen to play in the All-Star Game. This was his first All-Star appearance. For the 2012 season, he had a 17–8 record and a 3.05 ERA. He also had 192 strikeouts.

In 2013, Sale signed a five-year contract with the White Sox. On May 12, he pitched a one-hit shutout. He almost had a perfect game, but Mike Trout got a hit in the seventh inning. Sale was named an All-Star for the second year in a row. He was the winning pitcher for the American League in the game. In 2013, he led the AL with 4 complete games. He had 226 strikeouts and a 3.07 ERA.

In 2014, Sale was placed on the disabled list for an elbow strain. When he returned, he continued to pitch very well. He won eight of his first nine decisions. He had an 8–1 record and a 2.08 ERA before the All-Star break. Fans voted him into the All-Star Game. He finished the season with a 12–4 record and a 2.17 ERA. He also had 208 strikeouts. His ERA was the second best in the American League.

Leading the League (2015-2016)

Sale started 2015 on the disabled list with a foot injury. He returned on April 12. On April 23, he was involved in a bench-clearing argument with the Kansas City Royals. He was suspended for 5 games. On June 19, Sale had his fifth straight game with 12 or more strikeouts. This tied a major league record. On June 30, he tied another record. He had his eighth straight start with 10 or more strikeouts. He shared this record with Pedro Martínez. On October 2, Sale set a White Sox team record. He got his 270th strikeout of the season. The old record was 269, set in 1908. He finished 2015 with 13–11 record and a 3.41 ERA. He led the majors in strikeouts per 9 innings.

Sale began the 2016 season by winning his first 9 starts. He was named the starting pitcher for the 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. On July 23, Sale had a disagreement with the White Sox. He cut up throwback jerseys that the team was supposed to wear. He felt they were too baggy and bothered his pitching. The White Sox sent him home and suspended him for five days. He later said he regretted his actions. In 2016, Sale had a 17–10 record and a 3.34 ERA. He also had 233 strikeouts. He led the majors with 6 complete games.

Boston Red Sox (2017–2023)

World Series Champion (2017-2018)

On December 6, 2016, the White Sox traded Sale to the Boston Red Sox. He changed his uniform number to 41. In 2017, Sale started the season by striking out 10 or more batters in eight straight games. This tied a major league record. He was named the American League's starting pitcher for the All-Star Game for the second year in a row. On August 29, Sale got his 1,500th career strikeout. He was the fastest pitcher to reach this mark. On September 20, he reached 300 strikeouts for the season. This was the first time since 2015 that a pitcher had done this.

In 2017, Sale finished with a 17–8 record and a 2.90 ERA. He led MLB with 308 strikeouts. The Red Sox won their division. In his first postseason, Sale struggled. He lost two games against the Houston Astros. The Astros eliminated the Red Sox. Sale finished second in the voting for the AL Cy Young Award.

Sale with the Red Sox in 2018

Sale was the Opening Day starting pitcher for the Red Sox in 2018. In June, he had a 1.76 ERA and 60 strikeouts. He was named the AL Pitcher of the Month. On July 6, he got his 100th career MLB win. He was named to the 2018 MLB All-Star Game. He was the AL starting pitcher for the third year in a row. On July 31, Sale went on the disabled list with shoulder pain. He returned in August but went back on the disabled list. He was activated on September 11.

In the 2018 postseason, Sale pitched in the Division Series and Championship Series. On October 23, Sale started Game 1 of the World Series. The Red Sox won the game. In Game 4, Sale was seen encouraging his teammates in the dugout. The Red Sox won that game too. In Game 5, Sale closed out the game. He struck out Manny Machado for the final out. This made him a World Series champion for the first time.

Injuries and Comeback (2019-2023)

On March 23, 2019, Sale signed a five-year contract extension with the Red Sox. He started the 2019 season with a tough 0–4 record. On May 8, Sale threw an immaculate inning. This means he struck out three batters on nine pitches. On May 14, he struck out 17 batters, a new career high. On June 5, he threw his second immaculate inning. On August 13, Sale got his 2,000th career strikeout. He reached this mark in the fewest innings in MLB history (1,626 innings). On August 17, he was placed on the injured list with elbow pain. It was decided he would not need surgery, but his season ended. For 2019, Sale had a 6–11 record with a 4.40 ERA. He had 218 strikeouts in 147.1 innings.

In February 2020, Sale was not ready for Opening Day due to pneumonia. Then, the season was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. On March 19, the team announced Sale would have Tommy John surgery. This meant he would miss the entire 2020 season. The surgery was successful.

In 2021, Sale continued to recover from his surgery. He also had a mild case of COVID-19. On August 14, he returned to the Red Sox. On August 26, Sale threw his third immaculate inning. He tied a record set by Sandy Koufax. On September 10, he was placed on the COVID-related injured list. He returned on September 17. Overall in 2021, Sale made nine starts. He had a 5–1 record with a 3.16 ERA. He struck out 52 batters. In the postseason, he made three starts.

In February 2022, Sale broke a rib while practicing. He was placed on the injured list. On July 12, he returned to the Red Sox. On July 17, he broke a finger after being hit by a line drive. He had surgery the next day. On August 6, Sale broke his right wrist in a bicycle accident. This ended his 2022 season. He only made two starts in 2022.

Sale began the 2023 season in Boston's starting rotation. He had a 5–2 record through 11 starts. On June 1, he left a game with shoulder discomfort. He was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his shoulder blade. He returned on August 11. He finished the season with a 6–5 record and a 4.30 ERA in 20 starts. He pitched over 102 innings, which was more than his previous two seasons combined.

Atlanta Braves (2024–Present)

Sale warming up before a start for the Braves in 2024

On December 30, 2023, the Red Sox traded Sale to the Atlanta Braves. He also signed a two-year contract extension with the Braves. Sale was chosen for the 2024 Major League Baseball All-Star Game roster as a reserve.

On August 13, against the San Francisco Giants, Sale had a great game. He allowed no earned runs and three or fewer hits. He also had 12 or more strikeouts. This was his eleventh such game, tying Sandy Koufax. On September 3, Sale got his 200th strikeout of the season. This was the eighth time in his career he reached this milestone. He also set a Braves record. He allowed two or fewer earned runs in 15 straight starts.

At the end of the 2024 regular season, Sale had an 18–3 record. He led the National League in ERA (2.38), strikeouts (225), and wins (18). He became the first Braves pitcher to win a Triple Crown. He also won a Gold Glove Award, the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award, and the NL Cy Young Award. These were all firsts for his career.

Awards and Achievements

Pitching Style

Sale delivers a pitch for the Red Sox in 2017

Chris Sale uses four main pitches. He throws a fastball very fast, between 93–101 miles per hour (150–163 km/h). He also has a changeup (85–89 miles per hour (137–143 km/h)), a sinker (90–94 miles per hour (145–151 km/h)), and a slider (77–84 miles per hour (124–135 km/h)). His slider is very effective. It causes batters to miss about 43% of the time. He uses it often when he has two strikes on a batter.

Sale throws with a unique sidearm motion. He learned this special way of throwing in college. Because of his unusual delivery, he is sometimes called "The Condor." This nickname came from a baseball website in 2012.

Personal Life

Chris Sale is married to Brianne. They have three sons. The family lives in Naples, Florida.

See Also

• List of Major League Baseball career WHIP leaders
• List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders
• List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders
• List of Major League Baseball pitchers who have thrown an immaculate inning