Starting pitcher Chris Sale is heading into 2025 looking to show that his Cy Young-winning season wasn’t a one-off. It takes one year for expectations to change on a time, and it’s been no exception for the Atlanta Braves ace.
Two major baseball stats outlets have Sale putting on a solid follow-up to his 2024 season.
FanGraphs has Chris Sale finishing with a 14-8 record, a 3.07 ERA, a 4.6 WAR, a 1.07 WHIP and 230 strikeouts in 187 innings pitched over 31 starts. So, they’re projecting him to have a strong full season. He’s not going to necessarily have Cy Young numbers, but this is nothing short of a good season. However, he is expected to pitch more innings than he managed last season, which after last season might be the most important projection.
Baseball Reference is expecting Sale to be good but not nearly as good. They’re projecting him to finish 12-6 with a 3.28 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, 183 strikeouts in 159 2/3 innings pitched. Certain stats such as WAR, WHIP and number of starts were not included.
However, it’s implied that Sale will miss some time in their projections with nearly 30 fewer innings pitched compared to the FanGraphs’ projections. The most interesting stat projected from Baseball Reference is that Sale will pick up a save in the regular season. At some point, he will come out of the bullpen in a clutch situation and slam the door.
Sale hasn’t pitched out of the bullpen in the regular season since 2012. Including playoffs, he hasn’t pitched in relief since the 2018 World Series, which he closed out. So, that it a more gutsy prediction. Watch Sale prove this one right in a late September game just because.
Regardless, he’s expected to be a force in the rotation again. They just can’t agree on his healthy. To be fair, his health is a genuine question mark until proven otherwise.
Braves fan will hope FanGraphs is correct and the team is in the same boat. If it is, the team is in a prime position to take back the NL East. A second Cy Young Award, while impressive, would be more of a bonus at age 36.
