Braves' Chris Sale Extension Doesn't Hurt Too Bad for Red Sox Fans

Look how far this rotation has come in two years...

May 29, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale takes the field to warm up before action against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Everything Chris Sale does with the Atlanta Braves is going to reflect on the Boston Red Sox in some form or fashion, and so far, it's mostly been bad press.

Sale, who was traded from the Red Sox to the Braves before the 2024 season for infielder Vaughn Grissom, won his first Cy Young Award immediately after leaving, and has put up a 2.46 ERA in 303 innings with Atlanta. Meanwhile, Grissom played 29 games in Boston before he was unceremoniously dumped to the Los Angeles Angels this winter.

On Tuesday, Sale and the Braves agreed to a one-year, $27 million extension for next year, plus a $30 million club option for 2028. They also extended him right after trading for him as a show of confidence, but after he'd pitched so well in his first two years there, his price tag had clearly gone up.

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Sale trade doesn't sting as bad as it possibly should

Sep 24, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the fourth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Here's the deal at this point for the Red Sox and their fans. Yes, the comments about how badly Boston "lost the trade" will come back whenever Sale has success on the mound, or achieves a milestone like this one. But the transformation of Boston's rotation since the trade should mitigate any pain or embarrassment.

If Sale had won his Cy Young Award with the Red Sox instead of the Braves in 2024, there's a solid chance that Boston team, which went 81-81, could have snuck into the playoffs. However, one of two things would have happened shortly thereafter.

One, Sale walks in free agency and the Red Sox are starting their search for his replacement anew instead of having a year to digest it. Or two, he re-signs for something like the $27 million he just got, and there's probably no shot Boston trades for Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox.

Even if the outcome of the trade was lopsided in the Braves' favor, the Red Sox's pivot has been extremely effective, and part of the reason the rotation has come such a long way in a short time is the urgency that formed within the front office in Sale's absence.