Chris Sale being traded to the Atlanta Braves during the offseason was a shock as fans didn't know if they'd get a healthy season out of him. However, Sale settled those fears when he let fans know this was the best he'd felt in years.
That has been evident all season and Chris Sale now finds himself on the path to win his first-ever Cy Young Award. He finished in the top 5 of AL Cy Young voting six years in a row from 2013-2018. He was runner-up to Corey Kluber in 2017.
However, during the 2024 season, it's been evident that Chris Sale was on the path to finally winning the award. He's been in the conversation all year but now it seems most experts agree that he should win the NL Cy Young once the season concludes.
MLB experts agree that Braves starter Chris Sale has wrapped up the NL Cy Young Award race
Chris Sale is on the verge of his first-career Cy Young Award!@jonmorosi details the spectacular campaign for the southpaw in his first season as an Atlanta Brave. pic.twitter.com/bYFln5mMS4
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) September 9, 2024
Jon Morosi of MLB Network thinks Sale is going to take home the award. Morosi stated, "Chris Sale is on the verge of his first Cy Young Award of his illustrious career. And you think about the number of years it's taken him to get to this point. I know I thought in my own mind, hey, he's already won a couple. He hasn't."
He will be among one of the oldest MLB pitchers to win his first Cy Young in his mid-30s. He would be 35 years old and is just behind two former Braves, R.A. Dickey and Warren Spahn, who won their first Cy Young Awards at ages 37 and 36 respectively.
It's hard to argue when you look at the stats and analytics of what Sale has done this season. He is absolutely the best pitcher in the National League this season. Chris has a 2.38 ERA over 166.2 innings with 35 walks and an eye-popping 213 strikeouts.
He leads all of baseball in ERA and is tied for the most wins. He is currently third in strikeouts but is only two behind Dylan Cease for that lead. He will likely regain the top spot in strikeouts after his start against the Dodgers.
Has Chris Sale already wrapped up the NL Cy Young Award?#MLBTonight | @adnansvirk | @TheMayorsOffice pic.twitter.com/V7GYgo4myB
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) September 9, 2024
Analytically, when you see his Statcast page, it is off the charts. Sale is excelling in almost every metric available. The most impressive metrics include his 32.4% strikeout percentage, 5.3% walk rate, 30.9% whiff rate, 34% chase rate, and 31.1% hard-hit rate.
His ground ball percentage is one of the weaker metrics as it sits in the 69th percentile at 45.8% but even then that is still slightly above average. Sale's fastball velo is also rated in the 62nd percentile at 94.8 mph and that's considered average. However, fans have seen him reach back for 96-97 mph when he needs to.
The biggest thing leading to his success this season is health. Chris has adjusted his diet and how he recovers in between starts. It's helped keep him in the best shape possible and Atlanta has needed him. Once Spencer Strider was done for the season with an elbow injury, Sale became the ace of this staff.
Sean Casey mentioned this on MLB Network and added, "I'd have to think the Cy Young is wrapped up for Chris Sale in the way he's pitched this year. Like I said, with Strider going down early for the Braves, I think everyone was like 'Uh oh, what are you gonna do?' Well, guess what? You struck gold when signing Chris Sale."
I'm sure Casey meant trading for Sale but his point remains. No one expected Chris Sale to need to step in and be the ace for this team but he's done it and made it look easy. He's cruising his way to his first Cy Young Award and he deserves every bit of it.
Sale would be happy with that but he's a huge competitor and you know he has his sights on trying to help the Braves get to the postseason. He'd love a chance to add a World Series title along with the Cy Young Award.
He continues his quest for the NL Cy Young on Saturday evening against Atlanta's rival the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fans don't want to miss Sale facing off with one of baseball's best lineups and one of the Braves' biggest rivals. It should be an exciting night.