Chris Sale's Cy Young Case Only Clearer After Latest Braves Win

Chris Sale managed to outdo himself again, as the Atlanta Braves thwarted the Colorado Rockies, 9-1, to pick up another series win. He gave his team seven innings of one-run ball on three hits and three walks while striking out a season-high 11 batters.

This was Sale’s first double-digit strikeout performance since June 9, 2025, which results in a similar stat line. A major note for his latest dominant outing is that it took place at Coors Field.

When no situation is fazing him, you know he is on another level right now. If he has had a couple of hiccups on Saturday. Nobody would have faulted him. One, there is argument that he was due, and two, pitcher’s don’t always have good luck in Denver. In a nightmare ballpark, he prospered.

He lowered his ERA to 2.14, the third-lowest in the National League Mets’ starter Clay Holmes (1.75) and Braves teammate Bryce Elder (1.88). His 49 strikeouts, 0.90 WHIP and .176 batting average against are both fourth in the senior circuit as well.

Sale has a decision in all seven starts this season, winning six of them. Only one time has he had to hit himself in the head with a baseball.

Last season, he saw contention for a second Cy Young Award taken away an injury. It’s a long season ahead, but he is undeniably building another case.

It’s fair to look at the face that he’s not a leader in any of these categories and ponder how he could have a case ahead of other arms. Once you look deeper into the numbers, his case becomes more obvious.

What’s weird to think about is that his numbers are inflated by a single tought outing earlier in April. He allowed six earned runs over four innings pitched on April 6, when the Braves lost to the Angels out west, 6-2.

Apart from that one start, he hasn’t allowed multiple runs in an outing. What would his ERA be if you remove that single start? It would be 0.94. In his other six starts, he has four earned runs across 38 innings pitched.

As the sample size grows, the season stats will start to reflect his performance early on.

In previous seasons, he won his Cy Young or looked like he would be at least a finalist if healthy, despite some ugly April performances. He skipped that step entirely this year, moving up the discussion.

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