Braves name Chris Sale opening day starter
NORTH PORT, Fla. — Chris Sale will make his second straight opening-day start for the Braves, the team announced Friday.
Sale, the 2024 National League Cy Young award winner, will start against the Royals at Truist Park on March 27. It will be Sale’s seventh career opening-day outing after making three with the White Sox, two with the Red Sox and earning these latest honors with the Braves.
“I appreciate it. I feel like it’s an honor; I’ve always taken it very seriously,” Sale said. “I just appreciate it. You can say it’s just another start, but opening day, there’s something really special to it. It’s like the first day of school. It’s very different from all the other ones. I definitely appreciate it, I’m thankful for it and I’m excited for it.
“This is my first opening day at home since I’ve been here in Atlanta, so I’m excited to throw in front of our fans and have opening day at home. That will be special.”
Sale will oppose Royals ace Cole Ragans, a 28-year-old southpaw who surely admired the soon-to-be-37-year-old Sale as he pursued a major league career.
This is just the latest nod to Sale’s renaissance in Atlanta. The Braves acquired him in December 2023, betting he could rediscover his past brilliance after four years of injuries had derailed his career (he’d pitched only 151 innings over that span). The team doubled down before he even threw a pitch, extending his contract.
Sale then produced the finest season of his career, earning the pitching triple crown and winning his first Cy Young Award after finishing in the top six of voting seven previous campaigns.
The likely future Hall of Famer continued his artistry into 2025, but a fractured rib cage sustained on a diving play knocked him out for two months. Nevertheless, Sale returned late in the year and looked the same.
Overall, he has a 2.46 ERA in over 300 innings with the Braves. The team believes there’s plenty more in him, too. It extended Sale’s contract another guaranteed season — for $27 million, a team record for annual salary — with a $30 million club option for 2028. Both Sale and president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos have stated they intend to see him finish his career with the Braves, whether he pitches one more season or five.
His latest season begins in a week. And his first opening-day start at Truist Park is sure to feature a lively audience.
“I talked with (manager) Walt (Weiss) and I was just as excited as I was about my first (opening-day start),” Sale said. “I know what comes with that. I know what an honor that is to throw the first pitch of the year for your team. So I’m going to go out there and do what I always try to do. Very thankful for it.”
About the Author
Gabriel Burns is a general assignment reporter and features writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After four years on the Braves beat, he's expanded his horizons and covers all sports. You'll find him writing about MLB, NFL, NBA, college football and other Atlanta-centric happenings.
