What All-MLB Team Finalist Honor Says About Braves Chris Sale

Even a long term injury couldn't distract from how well the Atlanta Braves left hander pitched in 2025

Chris Sale's late-career tear hit few roadblocks in 2025 | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Normally, when a ballplayer has to step aside due to an injury for two months, it typically ends up being what defines their season. Most of the time, the only discussion point after that is what if. While there still may be what-ifs for Atlanta Braves starter Chris Sale in 2025, he made sure an injury didn't define another season for him.

He earned a spot, along with three of his teammates, as a finalist for the All-MLB Team on Monday. He now has a chance to repeat his First Team honor from last season.

He's not the only Braves finalist to miss significant time. Ronald Acuña Jr. didn't play a game until the end of May. However, Acuña's storyline is how, even with a second injury, he was able to burst back onto the scene once he returned.

Meanwhile, Sale saw one of the strongest runs in baseball hit a snag midseason. He earned an All-Star appearance, but the later a snag comes in the season, the more likely it is to end the discussion for end-of-season accolades.

But because Sale picked up right where he left off and had a strong month to finish things off, he is a candidate for a First or Second Team honor. If he doesn't get votes, it's still understandable because he missed time. Again, what-ifs aren't fully off the table. It's the fact that he missed crucial months of the season and has a chance that defines how good his season was.

In 21 games, 20 starts, he finished with a 2.58 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP with 165 strikeouts in 125 2/3 innings pitched. He also managed to amass a 3.9 WAR and a 161 ERA+.

Keep in mind, like in his Cy Young year, his first few starts weren't pretty. Through five games, his ERA was 6.17. In his final 16 games of the season, he had a 1.76 ERA. In that time, he allowed more than two earned runs twice and more than three earned runs once.

At 36 years old, he's looking as good as he ever has. The effort he put in during his rehab to ensure he could pick up where he left off paid dividends, too. Fastball command was a high priority during his rehab starts. In the early going, the lack thereof got him into trouble, and he learned from that.

Repeating Cy Young Award is likely off the table, but the follow-up isn't coming and going without some form of recognition. Fortunately for the Braves, they have him for at least one more year. They'll get to see if he can put together a trifecta of seasons in Atlanta.