Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale (51) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning at Citizens Bank Park. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Atlanta Braves Ace Chris Sale Makes History By Surging to 2,500 Career Strikeouts

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Sam Connon | Last updated May 29, 2025 10:37 PM ET

Chris Sale showed in 2024 that he still had plenty of gas left in the tank, and his resurgence has continued into 2025.

The reigning NL Cy Young winner guided the Atlanta Braves to a victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, tossing 6.0 scoreless innings en route to the win. The 36-year-old southpaw allowed two hits and three walks while racking up eight strikeouts.

Sale's eighth and final strikeout of the contest did more than just end a 1-2-3 sixth inning, though. It also marked strikeout No. 2,500 for his career.

It took Sale just 2,026.0 innings to reach the milestone, fewer than anyone else in MLB history. Randy Johnson previously held the record, recording his 2,500th strikeout after 2,107.2 innings.

Chris Sale is the FASTEST pitcher to 2,500 strikeouts in MLB history! pic.twitter.com/2PQhuZluG1
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) May 30, 2025

Johnson hung around for nine more seasons after reaching 2,500 strikeouts, ultimately finishing second all-time behind Nolan Ryan with 4,875. Sale ranks No. 40 on the leaderboards, although he could crack the top 30 before the end of 2025.

Sale is now 3-3 with a 3.06 ERA and 1.241 WHIP on the season. Including his time with the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox, Sale owns a 141-86 lifetime record with a 3.04 ERA and 1.051 WHIP.

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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