Every time the Braves seem to do something good in 2024, it’s generally followed by horrific news. Yesterday perfectly encapsulated that, as Brian Snitker‘s club officially clinched a postseason berth, only to find out they will likely be without their ace, Chris Sale, for their Wild Card series against the Padres, which begins today.
Sale has been the heartbeat of this year’s Braves team. With guys dropping like flies throughout the season, he managed to put together his first healthy campaign in five years, and you’d be hard-pressed to find many players that have been more valuable to their team than Chris Sale. Without him, the Braves season would have been over months ago.
Chris Sale will likely receive a share of MVP votes, but the NL Cy Young award shouldn’t even be a discussion. Despite not being able to pitch yesterday, he still became the first NL Triple Crown Winner since Clayton Kershaw accomplished the feat in 2011. Sale led the league in wins with 18, strikeouts with 235, and ERA with a 2.38 mark.
Your National League Pitching Triple Crown winner: Chris Sale 👏 pic.twitter.com/QHWz7CahpD
— MLB (@MLB) October 1, 2024
A lot of pitchers around the National League have had seasons worthy of Cy Young consideration, and in a different year, they probably would have won. However, 2024 belongs to Chris Sale. He should win the award unanimously. The real question is if he will be able to return at any point during the postseason. Anything can happen in a three-game series, but if the Braves are going to make a run, they need the ace of their staff healthy moving forward.
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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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