Atlanta Braves Chris Sale Takes Home Two Players Choice Awards

The Braves starting pitcher was the lone member of the team to take home any Players Choice hardware this year

Chris Sale was chosen by his peers to win multiple awards. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale took home two Players Choice Awards on Saturday. He was named the National League Outstanding Pitcher and the National League Comeback Player of the Year.

Congratulations to Chris Sale for being named the @MLBPA Players Choice Awards NL Comeback Player and NL Outstanding Pitcher for 2024! pic.twitter.com/1ztKZu4DO7

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) October 26, 2024

He beat out Pittsburgh Pirates rookie phenom Paul Skenes and Philadelphia Phillies starter Zach Wheeler for Oustanding Pitcher. For Comeback Player, he beat out Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins and San Diego Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar. 

Sale is the third Brave to win Outstanding Pitcher. Previous Braves players to win this award include Greg Maddux (1994, 1995, 1998) and John Smoltz (1996). He's the sixth Brave to win Comeback Player. Previous Braves players to win this award include Andres Galarraga (2000), John Smoltz (2002), Tim Hudson (2010), Josh Donaldson (2019) and Ronald Acuña Jr. (2022). 

Two other Braves were up for awards but didn't win. Marcell Ozuna was a nominatee for the National League’s Outstanding Player Award, and Max Fried was a nominee for the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award. Ozuna, unsurpringly, lost to Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and Fried lost to Hoskins.

The winners were chosen during the World Series pregame show on Fox ahead of the Game 2 of the World Series.

Sale continues to rack up the accolades for his renaissance season. Just a few days earlier, he was named the NL Comeback Player of the Year by Sporting News. He also won the first pitching Triple Crown in the National League in 2011. Now, his peers on the diamond have recognized him for his efforts.

In 2024, Sale went 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts to lock down the Triple Crown. He also had a 1.01 WHIP, 174 ERA+ and was named to his eighth career All-Star team.

The Major League Baseball Players Association has been holding the Players Choice Awards since 1992.