When the Atlanta Braves traded for veteran lefty Chris Sale, there were concerns that it could blow up in their faces. He had struggled to stay healthy for a few years and was a shell of his former self. Luckily, that wasn't the case, and Sale returned to being one of the best starters in Major League Baseball. He rewarded the Braves by winning the NL Cy Young in his first season with the team.
Sale has remained mostly durable and has only missed time with injury once in 2025. That injury was a freak injury that occurred when he dove for a ball to try to preserve a complete game shutout. It left him with a fractured left rib cage.
It also just displayed how hard Sale is willing to go for his team. That incident only grew the legend of Sale for Braves fans. That hasn't changed one bit, as he showed in his most recent start for Atlanta against the Athletics.
Chris Sale's determination to pitch with a stomach bug shows what he brings to the Braves
Sale pitched a great game last Sunday against the A's, despite suffering from a stomach bug. He tossed six one-hit innings, with one run, no walks, and three strikeouts. Atlanta's lefty acknowledged that he didn't have his best stuff during the game, and that's likely due to the illness. Hopefully, not from a belly button ring this time around.
However, he still went out there and showed why he's the ace of the staff. Manager Walt Weiss said it best, "Hall of Famers, they just operate differently."
Chris Sale's 2Ks in the 2nd. pic.twitter.com/1lcKxvmjUt
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 1, 2026
The only blemish of Sale's day was a solo homer by former Braves prospect Shea Langeliers. Other than that, his stuff was sharp and kept the A's at bay. The bullpen took care of the rest.
That sickness seemed to take a toll on him as he had to watch the first game against the Diamondbacks from the team hotel. He did play catch on the field before the game, but Weiss informed Braves insider Mark Bowman that Sale was still dealing with his stomach bug.
Sale was treated to a great game as Atlanta's offense exploded against the D-backs with a 17-2 win in the series opener. It was a lot of fun to watch.
He will hopefully feel much better before his next start, which would be slated on Monday, April 6, against the Angels. The team should make that announcement before the series ends in Phoenix. All this has done is endear Braves fans more to Sale. He's a true competitior and it takes a lot to keep him off the mound.