Braves' Chris Sale Involved in Wild MLB Trade Rumor

There are so many potential takeaway points to have from the Atlanta Braves blowing a six-run lead in the ninth inning Thursday. But perhaps the biggest -- they are back to square one.

With the defeat, the Braves fell to seven games below the .500 mark. Of course, that doesn't sound like square one. But that's where the Braves were for their home opener on April 4 with an 0-7 record.

For the rest of April and the first half of May, the Braves fought tooth and nail to get back to .500 and move above that mark, only to then, over the past two and a half weeks, fall back to seven games under .500.

With those struggles, no Braves veteran is safe from the MLB rumor mill. That became evident this week with 2024 National League Cy Young winner Chris Sale.

MLB podcaster Chris Rose floated Sale as a trade candidate before Atlanta's series-sweeping loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks this week. Then Thursday, Newsweek's Andrew Wright proposed a trade where Sale lands with the New York Yankees.

"Sale was last season's NL CY Young winner, and he is putting together another solid season on the mound. He has a 2.93 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 13 starts and 73 2/3 innings pitched," wrote Wright. "He's allowed just five earned runs in his last five starts and is doing everything he can to keep the Braves within striking distance when he takes the mound.

"The fit with New York is an intriguing one, as the Yankees have the ninth-best team ERA in the majors at 3.58, but some of the starters have struggled of late. Both Will Warren (5.19 ERA) and Clarke Schmidt (4.04 ERA) feel very replaceable and adding Sale to that rotation could give New York three of the top five left-handed pitchers in baseball."

Even with Atlanta's significant struggles, one has to take any Sale trade proposal with a serious grain of salt.

The Braves have an $18 million club option with the left-hander for next season. So, general manager Alex Anthopoulos is only going to trade Sale if he sees the Braves not competing for the rest of 2025 and next season.

It seems highly unlikely Anthopoulos would give up on his club like that.

At least before Thursday's loss, MLB insider Jon Heyman agreed

"They are in about the same situation now that they were then [in 2021]. Very, very unlikely that they sell," said Heyman on MLB Network on Thursday.