Braves' Chris Sale Passes Sandy Koufax on All-Time Strikeout List

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale is having a season for the ages, which is helping him join MLB royalty on some career marks.

Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale has joined MLB royalty with his 2,400 career strikeouts. / Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

Atlanta Braves starter Chris Sale has passed legendary pitcher Sandy Koufax on the all-time strikeout list. 

He struck out the side in the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays to pass Koufax and move into the top 50 on the all-time list - top 20 among lefties. 

Chris Sale moves into the Top 50 in strikeouts in MLB history❗️ pic.twitter.com/rZTABkmwSX

— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) September 8, 2024

Anytime you have an accomplishment that involves mentioning arguably one of the best pitchers of all time, you’re doing something right, especially when you’re also an electric lefty. 

Sale continued to reach more milestones in the game, in the fifth inning, he whiffed Luis De Los Santos to reach 2,400 strikeouts in his career. In turn, he is the 50th pitcher in MLB history to reach this milestone. 

A big day for historic milestones in Atlanta. 

There are only three-active pitchers with more career strikeouts than Sale. Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer (both have 3,405) and Clayton Kershaw (2,968). 

What is even more impressive about Sale’s career is how quickly he’s reached the mark in terms of innings pitched. He has pitched 1,945 1/3 strikeouts as of the end of the fourth inning of Sunday’s game. By the time he pitches the same number of innings as Koufax - 2,324 1/3 innings - he’ll have approximately 2,867 strikeouts. 

This is assuming he keeps up his career pace, it gives you an idea of how good Sale has been even with the setbacks in recent years. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that he could join the exclusive 3,000 strikeout club before his career is over. If not for the injuries, perhaps he’d already be there. 

In addition to his strikeouts, Sale also has a 3.04 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in his career. 

Between playing a good chunk of his prime years with the White Sox and then having some shaky years with the Red Sox, it’s days like these that make you realize Sale’s overall career has been underrated. It’s a big reason his first career Cy Young might only come this fall. 

Once he has that extra hardware and he continues to build upon these numbers, he might have a Hall of Fame case soon enough.