Chris Sale is no longer a Yankees contender, but the former Red Sox ace is apparently back healthy and having a remarkable bounce-back season after moving across the league to join the Braves.
Sale hasn’t been selected to the All-Star team since his seventh straight year in 2018 due to various injuries, but he continued his return to the All-Star level with a strong performance Friday night in the Braves’ game against Carlos Rodon’s Yankees, pitching one run over five innings at the Stadium.
The 35-year-old left-hander was acquired by the Braves from Boston in the offseason and went 10-2 with a 2.91 ERA in 14 starts, allowing just one hit and striking out eight batters.
“I got it done. It went well tonight,” said Sale, who is 7-9 in 23 games against the Yankees. “I’ve played this team a lot and I’ve seen what they’re capable of. I have too much respect for the game and the team and I can only say that I fought tonight and it went my way.”
“I’ve been in the opposite position before, but tonight the offense got me going. I was leading before I even pitched. I don’t think any starting pitcher in the league hates that.”
Sale missed the entire COVID-shortened 2020 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, then made just 11 starts over the next two years due to a back injury, a broken finger and a broken wrist.
But after posting a 4.30 ERA in 20 games last season, general manager Alex Anthopoulos decided in December to deal promising Braves hitting pitcher Vaughn Grissom to Boston with the Red Sox covering his $17 million salary in 2024.
Atlanta signed Sale to a two-year, $37 million contract extension a few weeks later.
Sale allowed more than two earned runs just three times in his first 14 starts with the Braves, including eight runs in four innings against the Athletics on June 1.
This season, he has struck out 107 batters and walked 16 in 86 2/3 innings.
“Just like we didn’t worry when things were going badly, we’re not going to sit here and party when things are going well,” Sale said.
The only hit the Yankees managed against Sale was a triple by Jamai Jones in the second inning, a ball that dropped only because of a misjudgment by left fielder Adam Duvall.
“Have you seen his career? … He’s an unbelievable pitcher,” Juan Soto said of Sale.
Before the game, manager Aaron Boone described the team’s performance this season as a “vintage sale,” and he was proven right.
“That looked like Sale at his best,” Boone added after the game. “He’s been great this season. We’ve seen a lot of great Chris Sale in his early days with the Red Sox and a lot of struggles with injuries.
“He was really good. The secondary [stuff] It was amazing. … He was tough.”
