Chris Sale Voted 2024 Brave of the Year

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale has had an incredible comeback season and has been rewarded for it.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale received further recognition for his stellar season. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale received another accolade for his performance in 2024. According to The Athletic’s David O’Brien, the Atlanta chapter of the Baseball Writer’s Association of America has voted Sale the 2024 Brave of the Year.

He received 16 of 18 votes. Sale is the first pitcher to receive the award since Tim Hudson in 2010. 

Chris Sale was voted 2024 Brave of the Year by the Atlanta chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He got 16 of 18 votes to become the first starting pitcher to win the award since Tim Hudson in 2010.

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) September 28, 2024

In 29 starts this season, Sale is 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA with 225 strikeouts in 177 2/3 innings of work. His wins, ERA and strikeouts all lead the National League. He also leads the NL in FIP (2.08), ERA+ (174), home runs per nine innings (0.5) and strikeouts per nine innings (11.4). 

This season has seen him make his eighth All-Star Game, his first since 2018. He was named pitcher of the month for May with a 0.56 in five starts. The Braves are 22-7 when he is on the mound compared to 65-64 when he isn't. He's been that valuable to the team.

It took just one season to burst on the scene and be recognized as the team’s top player. This award goes beyond recognizing a good year. It recognizes the stellar, unlikely comeback he had.

When he was first acquired by the Braves in December, there were doubts, to say the least. Go back and look at the replies from ESPN’s Jeff Passan's tweet about the deal. You hope Sale didn’t sit and read those. 

At the time, there was some reason to doubt. The once perennial all-star had everything go wrong starting in his third season with the Boston Red Sox. First, 2019 was a down year that ended early due to elbow inflammation. 

He then missed the 2020 COVID season due to Tommy John Surgery. He came back in 2021 and looked solid with a 3.16 ERA. 

Then, he only pitched 5 2/3 innings in 2022. He was sidelined due to a mix of a broken rib cage, then a comebacker that fractured his pinky and lastly a fractured wrist from a bike accident. 

He followed that season up with a mediocre 2023 where he missed time again in the middle of the season. The dude couldn’t catch a break. 

But the magic of the Braves and veteran arms prevailed yet again. Sale is on his way to a Triple Crown and the Cy Young. 

He’s got one more start coming this season. When it will be is to be determined, there’s a lot that needs to play out before that’s decided. But he’ll be ready to go in and lock down a playoff spot and more accolades when that time comes.