Over the last six seasons, the Atlanta Braves have had star left-handed pitcher Max Fried take home three Gold Gloves in three consecutive seasons from 2020-2022. After an injury-riddled 2023 season, it wouldn't be surprising to see Fried back among the nominees for the Gold Glove this season.
When Rawlings announced Gold Glove nominees on Tuesday morning, a Braves star left-handed pitcher was nominated for the award. However, to the fans' surprise, it wasn't Max Fried, but Cy Young front-runner Chris Sale, who was among the three finalists for the prestigious fielding award.
The 2024 Rawlings Gold Glove Finalists - NL Pitcher -Luis Severino, Zack Wheeler, Chris Sale #RawlingsGoldGloveAwards pic.twitter.com/PfFjH8WctJ
— Rawlings Baseball (@RawlingsSports) October 15, 2024
Chris Sale surprises Braves fans with Gold Glove nomination
While nearly all of us were gawking at Chris Sale's pitching line this season, the lefty quietly had a solid season in the field.
Among qualified pitchers, the 35-year-old accumulated four defensive runs saved, third-best in the National League. He had nine putouts and 22 assists while not making an error. Jake Irvin of the Washington Nationals led the NL in DRS but was not among the finalists for the award.
Sale made several impressive plays throughout the season, including this life-saving catch against the Giants in August.
Quick reflexes from Chris Sale 😳 pic.twitter.com/BNtAYOHBEh
— MLB (@MLB) August 13, 2024
Sale ranked ahead of every starter on the Braves in DRS, except for Spencer Schwellenbach, who did not qualify for the Gold Glove award. Max Fried actually had a relatively pedestrian 0 DRS despite his reputation as one of the best fielding pitchers in the game.
If Sale can take home the Gold Glove award, it will undoubtedly be just one of many awards he earned after a shocking revival of a career that appeared to be decimated by injuries. Although a Gold Glove likely won't improve his Hall of Fame odds, it would be a cherry on top to commemorate an incredible 2024 season.