New Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss will have a rotation anchor at his disposal next season.
The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports the club has picked up the $18 million option for 2026 for veteran lefty Chris Sale.
Sale, 36, is headed into his 16th big league season and third with the Braves.
He made 21 starts last season, going 7-5 with an earned run average of 2.58 and a 1.066 WHIP over 125.2 innings pitched. He struck out 165 batters and walked 32.
A native of Lakeland, FL, Sale was the 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner, claiming the Triple Crown with 18 wins, 225 strikeouts and a 2.38 ERA.
A nine-time All-Star, Sale has previously suited up for the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox, winning the World Series with the latter in 2018.
For his career, Sale is 145-88 in 393 appearances (312 starts) with a 3.01 ERA and WHIP of 1.046 over 2,084.0 IP.
