Fastball

Atlanta Braves' Flamethrower Making Baseball History During Epic Run

The Atlanta Braves split a double-header with the San Diego Padres on Monday in Atlanta as lefty Chris Sale accomplished something rarely done in baseball history on the mound.

Brady Farkas

May 20, 2024; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale (51) pitches.
May 20, 2024; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale (51) pitches. / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
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The Atlanta Braves split a double-header with the San Diego Padres on Monday in Atlanta. After losing the first game, 6-5, in dramatic fashion, Atlanta won the second game 3-0 behind the left arm of Chris Sale.

Once again, Sale dominated, going 7.0 innings and just five hits and no runs. He walked none and struck out nine in moving his season record to 7-1 and lowering his ERA to 2.22.

Oft-injured since the 2019 season, there are clear questions about Sale's durability, but when he's on the field, his talent is undeniable and he certainly appears to be back to the form that made him a perennial Cy Young finalist with the Chicago White Sox and early in his tenure with the Boston Red Sox.

Furthermore, Sale is on a run like we've barely seen in baseball history, according to @JayHayKid of the "Baseball is Dead" podcast and Underdog Fantasy.

Chris Sale is on an epic heater.

He’s the 3rd pitcher *ever* to have a 5-start span with 43+ K, 2 or fewer BB and no more than 2 runs allowed.

The others both happened in 2021: Jacob deGrom (May 25-June 16) and Max Scherzer (Aug. 21-Sept. 12).

Considering the prevalence of the strikeout in modern baseball, it's not surprising that these have all happened in the last four years, but it's still amazing to see what Sale is doing.

Now 35 years old and in his 14th major league season, Sale is 127-81 lifetime with a 3.08 ERA. He has struck out 70 batters in just 56.2 innings this year.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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