Chris Sale is no longer a divisional foe for the Yankees, but the former Red Sox ace clearly is healthy again and posting a monster comeback season after switching leagues and joining the Braves.
Sale, who hasn’t made an All-Star team, due to various injuries, since his seventh consecutive selection in 2018, continued his resurgence to that level with five innings of one-run ball Friday night in the Braves’ 8-1 pasting of Carlos Rodon and the Yankees at the Stadium.
The 35-year-old lefty, who allowed one iffy hit while striking out eight, has posted a 10-2 record and a 2.91 ERA over his first 14 starts for the Braves following an offseason trade from Boston.
“Got it done. It worked out tonight,” said Sale, who improved to 7-9 in 23 career appearances against the Yanks. “I’ve faced these guys quite a bit, and I’ve seen what they can do. I got too much respect for the game and too much respect for those guys to say anything other than we battled and it went my way tonight.
“I’ve been on the other side of it, too, but the offense picked me up tonight. I had a lead before I even threw a pitch. I don’t think there’s a starting pitcher in the league that would say they don’t like that.”
Sale missed the entire COVID-shortened 2020 season following Tommy John surgery, and he made just 11 combined starts the following two years due to back problems, a broken finger and a broken wrist.
But he pitched to a 4.30 ERA over 20 outings last season, prompting general manager Alex Anthopoulos to ship the Braves’ top hitting prospect, Vaughn Grissom, to Boston in December, with the Red Sox covering $17 million of his 2024 salary.
Atlanta then signed Sale to a two-year contract extension worth $37 million a few weeks later.
Sale has allowed two or more earned runs in only three of his first 14 starts for the Braves, including eight in four innings June 1 against the A’s.
He’s also struck out 107 and walked 16 over 86 ²/₃ innings this season.
“Just like we weren’t worried when things weren’t going well, we’re not gonna sit here and throw a party when it is,” Sale said.
The Yankees’ lone hit against Sale was a triple by Jahmai Jones in the second inning; the ball only dropped in after left fielder Adam Duvall misjudged it.
“You ever watch his career? … He’s an unbelievable pitcher,” Juan Soto said of Sale.
Before the game, Aaron Boone used the term “vintage Sale” to describe the season he’s having. He was proven correct.
“That looked like Sale when he’s been at his best,” Boone added afterward. “He’s having a great year over there. We’ve seen the great Chris Sale early in his Red Sox days a lot and the Chris Sale that went through a lot of injuries and battled through things.
“He looked really good. Secondary [stuff] was excellent. … He was tough.”