Sale continues establishing himself as one of Braves’ greatest pitchers

The Braves have employed numerous Hall of Fame pitchers throughout their existence. It’s becoming increasingly likely that Chris Sale will join them in Cooperstown.

He’s establishing a real case as one of the five best starters in Atlanta history, perhaps in franchise history. Yes, at his best, Sale is worthy of being mentioned with Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine.

Let his latest performance stand as an exhibit for his artistry.

Sale hasn’t yet started a postseason game here. But Thursday at Truist Park sure felt like one. What a marvelous dress rehearsal: He mowed down the two-time reigning champs over nine innings with efficiency and ease that made the Dodgers look like the Angels.

Final: Braves 1, Dodgers 0. Series: Braves three wins, Dodgers none.

“Tonight was a fun one,” Sale said.

Those who’ve watched so many masterful outings in Atlanta — whether it’s from one of the Big 3, Randy Johnson, Madison Bumgarner or Max Fried — will add this one to the hierarchy.

In a matchup lavish with All-Stars, future Hall of Famers and perhaps the best player of all-time, Sale was the best individual in uniform Thursday.

He struck out 11 Dodgers without issuing a walk. He sliced through the best team money can buy as if it’d been bargain hunting. He surrendered five hits and plucked one batter, his reminder to us that we can all be both beautiful and flawed.

But it was the ferocity with which he pitched; his eyes ablaze with a rage previously unseen.

This was all-time concentration. Think Tom Brady stoic on the bench or Michael Jordan moments after fantasizing that a defender provoked him.

“I always talk about how the Hall of Famers are just different, and that’s the perfect example right there,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “He was attacking from the first pitch. Not that he doesn’t always do that, but you could see the look in his eye. The look in his eye is always pretty good, but it was even a little bit different tonight.”

Sale lowered his season ERA to 2.06. His stats are on track to be better than his Cy Young-winning 2024 campaign. He’s remained healthy and looks every bit as spry as he did in his prime age.

This was the Braves’ first shutout since Fried dazzled the Cubs at Wrigley Field over two years ago. It was Sale’s first shutout in seven years. It even featured two of his fastest pitches in eight years, including hitting triple digits while sending Shohei Ohtani back to the dugout.

It was one of the great performances we’ve seen at Truist Park (“I can’t think of a better one off the top of my head,” Weiss said). It was one of the great performances delivered by this Florida native whose Hall of Fame case has greatly fortified since he returned to the South after injuries interrupted his career.

Consider the evening’s context:

Sale lost a longtime family friend, Ashley Foss, before the game at age 42. He has known the Foss family for nearly 20 years, going back to his native Lakeland, Florida, and the family works in the financial area of his agency.

“It felt weird out there,” Sale said. “It felt like I had a little something else helping me tonight. There’s no question that was her out there.”

Sale prepared for his start knowing the bullpen was shorthanded. The Braves desperately needed him to cover a chunk of the game. Then, as the night continued, he had no margin for error. One errant pitch to Ohtani or Freddie Freeman and the game would be reset. He was dueling opposite Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, one of the few pitchers capable of reaching a comparable level.

The Cy Young winner thrived off being forced to live on the edge. Ohtani went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Mookie Betts and Freeman combined for three hits, but neither delivered a blow. The Dodgers went 0-for-3 with their limited chances with runners in scoring position.

It was stuff of cinema, the way Sale emerged from the dugout to start the ninth and was promptly serenaded by Truist Park’s boisterous approval. It was an October-esque bellowing from the sold-out audience.

“I just told Walt, ‘I got this one,’” Sale said before taking the mound at 97 pitches.

The fans understood the significance. They knew the rarity of what was unfolding. Their ace was coming to deliver the finishing blow. There is no more emphatic fashion to finish a sweep of the reigning champs than what Sale and his Braves achieved Thursday evening.

This is the type of outing that should be remembered in Sale’s storied career. It’ll be one of the most meaningful considering the context.