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The Atlanta Braves today signed LHP Chris Sale to a two-year, $38 million contract, with a club option for the 2026 season for $18 million. The left-hander will make $16 million this season and $22 million in 2025. He has agreed to donate 1% of his salary to the Atlanta Braves Foundation.
Sale, 34, was acquired by Atlanta via trade with Boston last Saturday. He started 20 games for the Red Sox last season and compiled a 6-5 record with a 4.30 ERA (49 ER/102.2 IP) and 125 strikeouts. In six total seasons with Boston, he pitched to a 46-30 record with a 3.27 ERA (244 ER/670.2 IP), earned a pair of All-Star honors in 2017 and 2018, and was a member of the 2018 World Series champions. The left-hander fanned 11.0 batters per 9.0 innings last season, and his career rate of 11.1 strikeouts per 9.0 innings is the highest for a qualified pitcher in major league history. His 2,189 career strikeouts rank fifth most by an active pitcher in baseball.
Originally drafted by the Chicago White Sox with the 13th overall selection in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, Sale has compiled a 120-80 record with a 3.10 ERA (614 ER/1780.2 IP) and 2,189 strikeouts over 343 career games, 263 starts, in 13 major league seasons. He was selected to seven consecutive AL All-Star teams from 2012-2018, and has seven career Top 10 finishes in Cy Young voting. He pitched seven seasons for the White Sox before being acquired by Boston prior to the 2017 season.
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