What Could Have Been: Braves Chris Sale's 2025 Cy Young Case

We’re reaching the point in the Atlanta Braves' season when you start to consider the what-ifs of the season. Injuries aren’t the key reason why the Braves are where they are. Roster-building choices and multiple players having career-worst seasons at once played significant roles in the Braves being out of playoff contention before the trade deadline. 

That being said, it’s hard not to imagine where this team would be if some guys had stayed healthy. The Braves' starting rotation was the best in baseball for a time this season, and Chris Sale embodied it better than anyone. He was named an All-Star again this season and was back to being one of the top pitchers in baseball before he suffered a rib injury.

His absence has been felt badly, and even in the lost season that is 2025, having him back is going to mean a lot to the team. 

In his last 10 starts, the last coming June 18, Sale had a 1.23 ERA with 82 strikeouts in 66 innings pitched. He got within a strike of a complete game shutout, which would have been his first since 2019. That shutout in 2019 was his last complete game of any kind. 

Over that span, he gave the Braves at least six innings eight times and at least seven innings five times. He was pitching as well as any pitcher in the game. Then, that dominance and the workhorse effort he provided every five or so days were gone. He’s able to return in a few weeks, but a lot has already been lost. 

There is no replacing Chris Sale, but the Braves haven’t come remotely close to effectively covering for him. No prospect or bullpen day has done the trick. 

Having him healthy wouldn’t have saved the season, but it would have kept things from getting as bad as it has. It’s one fewer day the bullpen is strained, or they have to see what emergency starter can get through five innings. They’re good that time through the rotation. It goes a long way than you think to preventing this season from being a total nightmare. There is still something to look forward to. 

Along with how he impacts the Braves, something else was also lost: His chance at defending his thrown as the reigning Cy Young Award winner. He wasn’t the front-runner at the time of his injury, but he was roaring back into contention. The injury ended that. Another exciting chapter in his comeback arc was pulled out from under him. 

There is always 2026 in theory, but seeing him get robbed of the chance is what makes you feel for him. He’s had enough of his career robbed from him already.  

What-ifs are a killer. Pitchers can win the Cy Young while pitching on not-good teams. Jacob DeGrom and Felix Hernandez can attest to that. Maybe this what-if embodies the season. Very little can go right for anyone. 

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