Christopher Allen Sale (born March 30, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox. He throws left-handed and is tall.
A native of Lakeland, Florida, located within the Tampa Bay area, Sale played college baseball for Florida Gulf Coast University. The Chicago White Sox selected him 13th overall in the 2010 MLB draft and he made his MLB debut on August 6, 2010. He was traded to the Boston Red Sox prior to the 2017 season and was a key member of their pitching rotation that helped the team win the 2018 World Series.
Sale was an MLB All-Star for seven consecutive seasons from 2012 to 2018 and led the American League (AL) in strikeouts in 2015 and 2017. After reaching 300 strikeouts in a single season for the first time in 2017, he was selected as the AL Sporting News Starting Pitcher of the Year. Sale was the quickest to reach 2,000 career strikeouts in the fewest innings pitched (1,626). After a string of injuries derailed his final few years in Boston, Sale was traded to the Braves following the 2023 season and was later named to his eighth All-Star Game in 2024, as well as winning his first Cy Young Award, Triple Crown and Gold Glove Award. Sale was again named an All-Star in 2025 and 2026.
Early life Christopher Allen Sale was born on March 30, 1989, in Lakeland, Florida. He attended and graduated from Lakeland Senior High School, where he played basketball and baseball. After his senior year for the Dreadnaughts, Sale was drafted in the 21st round of the 2007 Major League Baseball draft by the Colorado Rockies, but chose not to sign and instead attended Florida Gulf Coast University.
College career Sale played college baseball for the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles baseball team under head coach Dave Tollett. During the 2010 season at FGCU, Sale posted an 11–0 win–loss record and a 2.01 ERA over 17 games. Sale pitched 103 innings while recording 146 strikeouts and 14 walks. He led the NCAA in strikeouts at the end of the regular season. Sale was named the Atlantic Sun Conference Pitcher of the Year and the Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year. He is one of four Eagles to play in the major leagues, along with pitchers Jacob Barnes, Richard Bleier, and Casey Coleman.
Like many top college players, Sale spent the NCAA offseason pitching in collegiate baseball summer leagues. In 2008, he was an All-Star for the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League, and it was during his time in Wisconsin that coaches suggested he adopt his now distinctive sidearm arm angle. In the summer of 2009, Sale pitched for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he posted a record of 4–2 with an earned run average of 1.47 and 57 strikeouts, was named MVP of the league's All-Star Game at Fenway Park, and received the league's Outstanding Pitcher award.
Professional career
Draft and minors Sale was drafted by the White Sox with the 13th overall selection in the first round of the 2010 MLB draft. Once Sale signed with the White Sox in 2010, he was assigned to the White Sox' Class A affiliate Winston-Salem Dash. Sale pitched in four games with a 2.25 ERA in four innings, while giving up three hits and one earned run while walking two and striking out four during his tenure with the Dash. Sale was then promoted to the White Sox' Triple-A affiliate Charlotte Knights. While there, Sale pitched in seven games earning a 2.84 ERA in innings, while giving up three hits and two earned runs while walking four and striking out 15.
Chicago White Sox (2010–2016) 2010 Sale was called up to the majors for the first time on August 4, 2010, and made his MLB debut on August 6, against the Baltimore Orioles in the eighth inning. He was the first 2010 draft pick to be promoted to the majors and got his first major league save on September 1, 2010, against the Cleveland Indians. In 21 appearances in his rookie year, Sale went 2–1 with a 1.93 ERA, 32 strikeouts, and 4 saves.
2011
During the 2011 season, Sale made 58 appearances out of the bullpen with a 2–2 record, a 2.79 ERA, 8 saves, and 79 strikeouts.
2012 Sale made the transition to a starting pitcher for the 2012 season. On May 28, Sale struck out a career-high 15 batters in innings during a 2–1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. Sale's 15 strikeouts are tied for second most in franchise history with Eddie Cicotte, Ed Walsh, and Jim Scott. Jack Harshman and Lance Lynn hold the White Sox team record with 16 strikeouts in a game. Sale was named the American League (AL) Pitcher of the Month for May with a record of 4–1, an ERA of 1.71, 35 strikeouts and a .181 opponents' average over six games.
Sale was chosen by AL All-Star manager Ron Washington to pitch in the All-Star Game, Sale's first All-Star appearance.
During the 2012 season, Sale compiled a 17–8 record, a 3.05 ERA, and 192 strikeouts in 192 innings pitched. He finished sixth in voting for the AL Cy Young Award.
2013 On March 7, 2013, Sale and the White Sox agreed on a five-year, $32 million contract with two team option years.
On May 12, Sale threw a one-hit shutout during a 3–0 White Sox victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Sale took a perfect game into the seventh inning. With one out in the top of the seventh inning, Mike Trout singled up the middle for the only hit of the game. Sale finished the game with 7 strikeouts and no walks, allowing Trout as the only base runner. Sale began the season with a 6–8 record and a 2.85 ERA. He was named an All-Star for the second consecutive season. Sale pitched in the second and third innings, allowing no hits, no runs, no walks, and striking out two National League (NL) hitters. He was named the winning pitcher for the AL, which won the game 3–0.
In 30 starts of the 2013 season, Sale had an AL-leading 4 complete games, an 11–14 record, 226 strikeouts, and a 3.07 ERA in 214.1 innings pitched. He received one of the lowest run supports in the AL. Sale finished in fifth place in Cy Young votes for 2013.
2014 On April 21, Sale was placed on the 15-day disabled list after sustaining a flexor strain in his left (pitching) elbow. During his first start off the disabled list against the New York Yankees on May 22, Sale retired the first 17 batters in a row before allowing a single by Zoilo Almonte. He struck out 10 in 6 innings pitched as the White Sox won the game 3–2. During a game against the Angels on June 7, 2014, Sale had a 5–0 lead but surrendered 5 runs all in the 7th inning that featured a grand slam by Mike Trout. Sale continued his dominance on the mound, winning eight of his first nine decisions and carrying an 8–1 record and 2.08 ERA into the All-Star break.
After not initially making the All-Star roster, Sale was voted into the game by fans (alongside Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo) as part of the "Final Vote." Sale joined teammates Jose Abreu and Alexei Ramírez in the All-Star Game in Minneapolis.
Sale finished the season with a 12–4 record, 208 strikeouts in 174 innings pitched, and a 2.17 ERA, second-best in the American League. He finished third in voting for the AL Cy Young award, behind winner Corey Kluber and Félix Hernández.
2015 Sale started the 2015 year on the disabled list due to a foot injury. He returned on April 12, pitching 6 innings with 8 strikeouts in a 6–2 victory over the Minnesota Twins. During a game against the Kansas City Royals on April 23, Sale was warned by home plate umpire Sam Holbrook after hitting Mike Moustakas with a pitch. Later, Sale was involved in a bench-clearing brawl after his teammate Adam Eaton grounded out to Yordano Ventura. Sale was one of five players to be ejected for his role in the brawl as the White Sox lost to the Royals 2–3 in 13 innings. On April 25, Sale was suspended for 5 games.
In a June 8 win over the Houston Astros, Sale struck out 14 batters. On June 19, Sale had his fifth consecutive game with 12 or more strikeouts, tying a major league record. Also, on June 19, Sale had his 6th consecutive game with 10 or more strikeouts. On June 30 against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sale struck out 12 batters to tie a major league record with his eighth consecutive start of 10 or more strikeouts. He shared the record with Pedro Martínez, who accomplished the feat while pitching for the Boston Red Sox in 1999.
On October 2, versus the Detroit Tigers, Sale set the franchise record for number of strikeouts in a season. The previous record of 269 strikeouts in a season was held by Hall of Famer Ed Walsh in 1908. Walsh accomplished the feat in 464 innings, while Sale's 270th strikeout came amid his 203rd inning of 2015. He finished the season 13–11 with a 3.41 ERA, and led the majors in strikeouts per 9 innings (11.82) and hit by pitch (13).
2016 Sale began the 2016 season by winning each of his first 9 starts. He entered the All-Star Break with a 14–3 record (12 quality starts), an ERA of 3.38, and a WHIP of 1.04. Royals manager Ned Yost named him the starter for the MLB All-Star Game. In the All-Star Game, Sale pitched one inning and gave up a home run to Kris Bryant of the Cubs.
On July 23, prior to a game against the Detroit Tigers, the White Sox were set to wear throwback uniforms based on the design implemented by Bill Veeck during his second ownership of the White Sox. Sale was not pleased about the idea, as he felt the pullover jerseys were too baggy and interfered with his pitching mechanics, and this prompted him to use scissors to tear up the throwback uniforms that had been laid out in the clubhouse while the rest of the team was on the field for practice. Shortly after, the White Sox sent Sale home and scratched him from his start that day, and the White Sox took the field in their 1982–86 throwbacks instead. The next day, on July 24, the White Sox suspended Sale for five days. He later expressed regret for his actions. In 2016, Sale made 32 starts, finishing with a 17–10 record, a 3.34 ERA, and 233 strikeouts, in innings pitched. He also led the majors with six complete games and 17 hit batsmen.
Boston Red Sox (2017–2023) On December 6, 2016, the White Sox traded Sale to the Boston Red Sox for Yoán Moncada, Michael Kopech, Luis Alexander Basabe, and Víctor Díaz. Upon joining Boston, Sale switched his uniform number from 49 to 41 because 49 is unofficially retired for Tim Wakefield.
2017 With the 2017 Red Sox, Sale began the season by striking out 10 or more batters in eight consecutive starts, tying the major league record he already shared with Pedro Martínez. After going 11–4 with a 2.75 ERA and an MLB leading 178 strikeouts in the first half, Sale was named the AL's starting pitcher at the All-Star Game for the second consecutive season, the first pitcher to do so since Randy Johnson started for the NL in 2000 and 2001 and the first for the AL since Dave Stieb in 1983–84. Sale pitched two scoreless innings in the game, striking out two batters. In his second start after the All-Star break, Sale joined Johnson, Martínez and Nolan Ryan as the only four pitchers to have struck out 200 batters in their first 20 starts of a season. Pitching against the Toronto Blue Jays on August 29, Sale recorded his 1,500th career strikeout, becoming the fastest to do so in terms of innings pitched. At that point, he had reached 1,290 innings, surpassing Kerry Wood, who had done so in 1,303 innings. Sale reached 300 strikeouts for the season when he struck out 13 batters on September 20. It was the first 300 strikeout season since Clayton Kershaw in 2015, and the first in the AL since Martínez in 1999.
In 32 starts in 2017, Sale finished with a 17–8 record, a 2.90 ERA, and an MLB-leading 308 strikeouts. He again led the majors in strikeouts per 9 innings (12.93). The Red Sox clinched the AL East division with a 93–69 record.