The Atlanta Braves have finally addressed their absence at manager, and have added new coaches from a rival. They've also worked quickly to ensure they take care of any player/club options.
Ozzie Albies was the first to have his option picked up, and their next decision was one of the most obvious of the offseason. When MLB insider Jon Heyman reported that Atlanta was expected to exercise Chris Sale's $18 million option for the 2026 season, there was little in the way of surprise.
This option was added to Sale's restructured contract when he was traded to the Braves in 2023. To welcome back a Cy Young winning pitcher to the rotation for under $20 million is an incredible bargain in today's game.
Chris Sale's performance thus far made his 2026 option decision easy, but it gets tricky beyond that
2025 started a bit rough, but he eventually found a groove and pitched well enough to earn his eighth All-Star selection. Unfortunately, in the second half, Sale fractured his ribs diving for a ball. That sidelined him for a couple of months. However, he returned strong from his injury with a 2.72 ERA over 36.1 innings, including six walks and 51 strikeouts. That solid finish brought him a 2.58 ERA over 20 starts.
This leads the Braves to an interesting place regarding Sale's future. There are numerous reasons to bring him back, but there are also legitimate concerns that need to be addressed.
Sale has done a pretty good keeping himself healthy since coming to Atlanta. That's credit to the Braves medical staff and Sale making lifestyle changes. Breaking his ribs was something that could have been prevented, but you can't necessarily blame him for being a competitor.
But therein lies the concern for determining his future in Atlanta. He will turn 37 as the 2026 season begins, so how well he ages over the next 12 months or so is going to be important to keep an eye on. Sale hasn't made 30 starts in a season since 2017, but he did reach 29 in 2024.
His performance in 2026 will be a huge factor in their final decision. If he performs well and stays healthy a majority of the season, it would make things a lot easier. His age would be the main obstacle to consider. If he returns after 2026, he will be 38 years old, and Atlanta may not want to risk a heavy chunk of money on him.
However, the level of experience Sale brings to the clubhouse is intangible. He is and would remain a great voice for the young pitchers in the organization. There's also the possibility that Sale may want to hang things up after this season. It will be interesting to see what decision is made after 2026.