Chris Sale Pays Heartwarming Tribute to Red Sox Legend Luis Tiant With Pitching Windup

This was awesome.

Sale switched up his lineup in honor of the Sox legend. / Screenshot via @NESN.

Baseball Hall of Famer and Boston Red Sox legend Luis Tiant passed away this past October at the age of 83. The three-time All-Star and two-time AL ERA leader spent eight seasons in Boston, and even has a sausage stand named after him outside of Fenway Park.

"El Tiante," as he was nicknamed, was also well-known for using an elongated, over-the-head windup to deliver pitches. As such, Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale honored the late Tiant with the same motion to kick off their spring training matchup against the Red Sox on Saturday.

Here's a look:

Chris Sale doing a tribute to El Tiante is very, very cool. One Red Sox legend showing love to another Red Sox legend. pic.twitter.com/Vmg55E27UU

— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) March 15, 2025

Pretty cool, especially given that Sale played six seasons in Boston and likely crossed paths with Tiant a time or two.

WEEI Sports Radio's Rob Bradford added that Sale, "had been thinking about doing this in this start for a while," given how much Tiant meant to him, saying that he "marveled" the late pitcher's throwing motion.

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