Chris Sale dazzles in return to Boston as Braves move above .500

The result was the same, too: His Braves defeated the struggling Red Sox 4-2 to make his first return to Boston successful.

“It’s like walking into your childhood home, you have lots of memories that you built, lots of relationships that you still have and appreciate,” Sale said of his return. “You try to push all those to the side and do your job. The ceremony stops at pitch No. 1.”

Last May, Sale struck out 10 Red Sox over six scoreless innings in a 5-0 victory. For his encore, he allowed one run on five hits across seven innings, striking out eight and walking two. It equaled his longest outing of the season.

The Braves needed Sale’s brilliance. He was opposing Boston’s new ace lefty Garrett Crochet, to whom he situationally compares.

Just like Sale years ago, the Red Sox acquired Crochet from the White Sox to anchor their rotation. Crochet surrendered consecutive homers to first baseman Matt Olson and catcher Sean Murphy, but he otherwise kept the Braves scoreless over seven frames.

Energy was high and runs were going to be hard to come by in this pitcher’s duel. Sale embraced it.

“You’re talking about Fenway Park on a Friday night, so it’s tough not to feel that,” he said. Ultimately, the Red Sox’s old No. 1 outdueled their new one.

This looked like peak Sale at times. His velocity was hovering in the high-90s, averaging 96.8 mph – above his 94.7 season average – and topping at 99. He was amped up not because he harbors any ill will toward the Red Sox – he’s been transparent about understanding the trade – but because he’s human.

“He didn’t say it, but you’d think it meant a lot to him to come back here and pitch in Boston,” Murphy said. “You could feel he wanted it.”

Manager Brian Snitker: “I saw from the first inning, you could tell there was a little something special.”

Sale threw the first and last pitch for the Red Sox in the 2018 World Series. It was their fourth title since snapping an 86-year drought in 2004, but it was his first and only championship. His tenure ended in disappointing fashion due to myriad injuries, but he’s still among the most talented pitchers in Boston history.

Entering Friday, he had a 3.33 ERA in 58 games (55 starts) at Fenway Park. His 1.058 WHIP in Boston is bested only by Smoky Joe Wood and Pedro Martinez (h/t @RSNStats). Sale never won a Cy Young for the Red Sox, but he gave them award-worthy campaigns in 2017 and 2018.

“I love it here,” Sale said. “It’s no secret. Even when I was with Chicago coming here playing – I spent seven years here and had some really good moments out there. I appreciate this place for what it is.”

Sale started the night by walking Jarren Duran on four pitches – three nowhere close to the strike zone – but ultimately escaped. He navigated the evening well, allowing a baserunner in five of seven innings, yet holding the Red Sox to one run.

When Duran laced a one-out triple in the third frame, Sale walked Rafael Devers before striking out Alex Bregman and escaping the inning when Devers was caught on a botched steal attempt. He retired eight of the next nine. The only one to reach – Duran again on a single – was caught trying to steal second.

Sale surrendered a homer to Rob Refsnyder to open the seventh but finished the frame with a one-run lead thanks to Eli White fielding a ball off the Green Monster and firing to second baseman Ozzie Albies to rob Nick Sogard of a double.

Sale hugged two of his sons by the Braves’ dugout when he knew his outing was complete.

“That was really cool,” Sale said. “I didn’t even see them, my neighbors had seats right there. I saw them come down and I knew I was done, so that was a special moment.”

Sale has distanced himself from a topsy-turvy start and looks closer to his 2024 form lately. He has a 1.72 ERA over his past five starts (31-1/3) innings. The Braves’ rotation has become a strength, and that’s before Spencer Strider returns next week. Sale continuing his recent work will only help the club work its way back into the postseason picture.

For as much as Sale will always cherish Boston, he’s done making memories with the Red Sox. But he could make plenty more with the Braves, including – he hopes – some postseason outings this October.

“The professionalism, the ballplayer that he is, the person he is, it’s been really good to get to know him, manage him, and see how consistent he is in all his work and how he prepares,” Snitker said. “And really, how he loves the game. The guy loves the game of baseball. He loves everything about it, and I think it rubs off on everybody. He’s been a joy to be around.”