Chris Sale's Story on Red Sox Exit Hurts for Boston Fans

The pain never quite goes away...

Jun 28, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale (51) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the second inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chris Sale's tenure with the Boston Red Sox was a roller coaster, and the 10-time All-Star readily admits it.

After a seven-year stay in Boston, Sale was traded to the Atlanta Braves before the 2024 season for infielder Vaughn Grissom. Sale instantly won the Cy Young Award and has made All-Star appearances in each of the three years since he's been gone; Grissom put up negative WAR on the Red Sox before getting dumped to the Los Angeles Angels.

As much as Sale knew he was brilliant in his first two seasons with the Red Sox, he always has expressed regret about not being healthy often enough in his last five. And in Philadelphia at this week's All-Star Game, he told a story about the very end of that tenure that will only twist the knife for fans who were bummed about how the trade played out.

Sale was more than ready for 2024 in Boston

Jun 1, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale (41) throws a pitch against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

At the time of the trade, Sale was entering the final season of his contract with the Red Sox. As he told Boston legend David Ortiz and the rest of the FOX broadcast team on Tuesday's pregame show, he was anticipating just as good a season with the Sox as he ended up having in Atlanta.

“I told my wife, I told all the guys, I was like, ‘I’m going for it. I’m not going to miss a single day of throwing. I’m not missing a single workout. I’m doing every rep of every set,’” Sale said. “I just felt like I owed it to Boston, like hey, I need to give them everything I have because I really felt guilty for those years of not being able to show up and not play. That weighed on me heavy.

Hearing Chris Sale talk about his last season in Boston was not what I expected.

“I don’t know if they’ll love me forever but I’ll always love them.” pic.twitter.com/EQvf3S9YTv

— Dommy Feds (@Dommyfeds33) July 14, 2026

“So after the ‘23 season I was like, ‘I’m going to train like I’m 23 years old again. I’m going to launch baseballs. I’m going to lift.’”

Ortiz then told him that no matter how things ended, Red Sox fans would always love him for his heroics for the 2018 World Series champions.

“I don’t know if they love me forever,” Sale replied, “but I’ll always love them.”