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Braves' Chris Sale Takes Home Long-Awaited Cy Young Award

In his big comeback season, Chris Sale finally earned the prized award for pitchers in the National League

Harrison Smajovits

Chris Sale has won the top pitching award in 2024
Chris Sale has won the top pitching award in 2024 / Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
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Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale has been awarded the crown jewel of pitching awards.  He has won the National League Cy Young Award. He took home the award for the first time in his career. 

Detroit Tigers' Tarik Skubal, a fellow Triple Crown winner this seaosn, won the Cy Young over in the American League.

Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux called in to present the award. 

“And I’m glad it’s staying in Atlanta,” Maddux said after announcing Sale as the winner. 

The Cy Young wasn't won by an Atlanta pitcher last seaosn, but we'll roll with the quote anyway.

Sale emphasized how much the award and the presentation meant a lot to him. 

“It means a lot; a special night having Maddux announce it, being an Atlanta guy,” Sale said. 

He joins an elite group of Braves to win the Cy Young Award, including Maddux (1993, 1994, 1995), Warren Spahn (1957), Tom Glavine (1991 & 1998) and John Smoltz (1996).

When asked about joining that elite group, Sale kept this answer humble.

“I think I brought that group down a little bit, but I’m glad that I dipped my toe in that pool.”

While chatting with the MLB Network crew, a faint cheering can be heard in the background. Sale pointed up and said, “I guess my family just found out.” 

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale posted the voting breakdown on X (formerly Twitter) following the announcement. The voting wasn’t close. Sale netted 26 first-place votes and the other four writers, who voted for Philadelphia Phillies' Zach Wheeler, all gave him second-place votes. 

The third-place finisher, Pittsburgh Pirates' Paul Skenes, had one second-place vote and 13 third-place votes. 

In 29 starts in 2024, Chris Sale went 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA, 225 strikeouts, a 1.01 WHIP, a 174 ERA+, a 2.09 FIP and a 6.2 WAR. 

Along with the Cy Young Award, he’s one the following hardware for his renaissance season: 

  • BBWAA National League Comeback Player of the Year
  • Sporting News National League Comeback Player of the Year
  • Players Choice Awards National League Comeback Player of the Year
  • Players Choice Awards National League Outstanding Pitcher of the Year
  • 2024 National League Pitcher’s Gold Glove 
  • 2024 National League Triple Crown 
  • 2024 All-MLB First Team 

It took him a few times to finally win the award. From 2012 to 2017, he received Cy Young votes every single season. He was a finalist in 2014 and 2017 and was the runner-up in the latter season. 

But the time has come.

Sale came to the Braves with people question if this transaction made any sense. After all, he had been injured or ineffective for the better part of the previous five seasons. But he proved everyone wrong, and based on the voting results, they're all OK with that.

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Harrison Smajovits
HARRISON SMAJOVITS

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