The Atlanta Braves extended Chris Sale to a one-year, $27 million deal on Tuesday, which also includes a $30 million club option for the 2028 season. Chris Sale will be staying put in Atlanta for the next two seasons, and might even retire as a Brave when all said and done.
With the Braves at MLB Spring Training, Sale had the chance to speak with the media about the extension and staying put with the Braves.
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Chris Sale had this to say about the contract extension:
“I felt this was like a week [process]. It was relatively easy. So, just very thankful for it. Appreciative of B.B. and [my agency] for taking care of it and Alex and the Braves willingness to get this done.”
After recent injuries in the rotation, this should leave Braves fans excited for the upcoming season, as no matter how poor their injury luck is, ace Chris Sale will still be a part of the rotation.
GettyChris Sale winds up for a pitch against the Diamondbacks.
The nine-time All-Star Chris Sale had already been on a Hall of Fame trajectory, but the Braves sort of revived his career, and then Sale payed Atlanta the favor back by winning NL Cy Young in 2024.
His stats in 2024 were pretty good: 18-3 record, 2.38 ERA, 29 starts, 177.2 innings, 225 strikeouts, 2.09 FIP.
Sale needs just over 400 strikeouts to reach the illustrious 3,000 mark for a lefty. If he keeps his current pace, there’s a strong reason to believe he could hit that mark with the Braves within the next three years.
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Other Braves News
Aside from the Chris Sale news on Tuesday, the Braves also officially announced the launch of BravesVision, their new broadcasting platform for fans.
So, it’s apparent that the potential new funds from that revenue stream are already being put to good use.
Despite dealing with a rib injury in 2025, Chris Sale was still the Braves’ best starter in 2025.
The new direct-to-consumer platform for Braves fans will be attached to MLB.TV and will bring Braves fans across the country (Georgia, Tennessee, Carolinas, Mississippi, Alabama) their favorite team’s games.
Chris Sale’s veteran presence will be felt in Atlanta’s clubhouse for years to come, as the Braves, if all else goes south, will still have Sale to be the leader of the rotation.
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Braves’ Chris Sale Sends Message After Contract Extension