After finishing the 2024 season with a 2.38 ERA and a National League Cy Young award, Sale entered Tuesday’s start against the Reds with a 4.84 ERA in his seven appearances in 2025. Through his first four starts of the season, the lefty's ERA exploded to 6.63.
Despite his early season struggles, the southpaw entered Tuesday’s home matchup coming off of his best start of the season. Although the Braves dropped the game against the Rockies in Sale's last outing, he tossed a season-high 7.0 innings and struck out ten batters for the first time since Aug. 17, 2024. It was his first quality start of the season.
“So I’d probably say there are three or four cues that I need to do delivery-wise, and I just wasn’t doing those early on,” Sale said following his start against the Rockies. “Over the last couple starts, we’ve looked at video, done some analytic things, and even just looking at the numbers that are presented after outings and things like that, and just making these minor tweaks to try to get back to being successful.”
Sale’s performance against the Reds highlighted that the changes he made have allowed him to find his rhythm again. In his first two batters faced on Tuesday night, Sale allowed a leadoff single to TJ Friedl before hitting Matt McLain with a pitch. He bounced back to retire three straight batters to end the first inning. Sale stayed hot to pitch three up, three down in the second.
Overall, the southpaw tossed 6.2 scoreless innings while allowing five hits and two walks. He notched 10 K’s in a second straight appearance and picked up a second consecutive quality start. With this outing, Sale lowered his ERA to 4.07.
“It’s kind of like vintage Chris Sale now,” manager Brian Snitker said. “The last two or three times out, it's been really good.”
Sale also expressed satisfaction following his dominant start.
“Games like this can pick up some steam for you and get you catapulted in the right direction,” Sale said. “So it was a fun, fun clubhouse.”
Like the rest of the Braves squad, Sale’s season was off to a rough start, but he pitched like the star veteran fans have come to expect in his past two starts.
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