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Chris Sale angrily hit himself in the head with a baseball

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Apr 7, 2026 5:12 PM ET

Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale is known for his temper, but he demonstrated a whole new way to berate one’s self during Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels.

Sale had a meltdown in the fourth inning of Monday’s game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Ca. After the first two batters reached, he missed on a 3-2 pitch to Jeimer Candelario. Once he got the ball back from his catcher, he took it and smashed it against his head in frustration.

Chris Sale was not happy with himself… and he let it show pic.twitter.com/esRZUWuutB
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 7, 2026

Sale’s gesture did not turn the tide. He later issued a bases-loaded walk and hit by pitch, at one point slamming the rosin bag down on the mound in frustration. The Angels wound up pushing three runs across in the inning with the benefit of just two hits.

In the past, Sale has not been shy about letting off steam. Most famously, he cut up a bunch of throwback jerseys he didn’t want to wear while he was with the Chicago White Sox. He’s even had meltdowns while on minor league rehab before.

Sale wound up allowing six runs in four innings and took the loss, though he did strike out seven. He had allowed just four hits and one earned run over 12 innings in his first two starts of the season.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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