Chris Sale sends a message with masterful performance in Braves win

Coming off one of the best wins of the season Tuesday night, as the Braves came from three runs down in the eighth to beat the first-place Mets in extra innings, Wednesday felt like another gotta have it game with Chris Sale on the bump versus the struggling Paul Blackburn.

The offense appeared to get the message, with Ronald Acuña Jr. leading off the bottom half of the first by sending a ball way over the centerfield wall on the first pitch he saw. The Braves would tack on two more in the inning, giving Sale a three-run lead, which was more than enough for the 2024 NL Cy Young, who is in the type of zone that only a few pitchers that have ever played the game can reach.

Coming into Wednesday, Chris Sale had posted a 1.41 ERA in his last nine starts with 75 strikeouts over 57.1 innings. In his last five starts, he had not allowed more than one earned run in any of them, totaling 43 strikeouts over 33 innings. Yet, somehow, he managed to improve on those numbers when the Braves needed it most last night.

Sale came just one batter away from tossing a complete-game shutout. He didn’t allow a run over 8.2 innings, striking out seven and surrendering just five hits with one walk. It never felt like he was in trouble at any point, barely breaking a sweat despite throwing 116 pitches, the most he’s thrown in a start since 2019.

It was vintage Cy Young Sale — but it felt like more than that. The veteran wasn’t just dealing; he was delivering a message. To his teammates, to the first-place Mets, and to the 40,000 strong in Braves Country: this team still has fight. And with that performance — capped by a ninth-inning defensive gem from the 36-year-old — the message came through loud and clear.