May 1, 2025
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher
Chris Sale was stuck with a tough-luck loss on Wednesday in a 2-1 loss to the Rockies. He allowed two runs on five hits and no walks with 10 strikeouts over seven innings. This was the reigning Cy Young champ's best start of the season, as it was his first double-digit strikeout performance and his first outing of more than five innings. He had a rough April overall with his ERA currently sitting at 4.84, but he still has maintained an elite 29% strikeout rate and remains an ace both in real life and in fantasy.
--Jeremy Heist - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
April 14, 2025
Atlanta Braves left-hander
Chris Sale has lasted five or fewer innings and allowed three or more earned runs in each of his four starts this year, including 4 2/3 and 4 1/3 innings in his past two. Last year, he had only two starts of less than five innings. Sale has surrendered 15 hits and nine runs (eight earned) in nine innings in his last two starts. "I just hate sucking, and I'm just bad. Simple," Sale said. His average fastball velocity was 96.2 mph in his start on Sunday against the Rays -- up 3 mph from his previous season average. The reigning National League Cy Young has allowed at least three runs in each of his four starts in 2025 after giving up more than two earned runs in only three of 29 starts a year ago. The fact that Sale is healthy has made the poor start more frustrating, but it should also ease the minds of fantasy managers that he'll turn it around sooner than later.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - David O'Brien
March 17, 2025
Atlanta Braves left-hander
Chris Sale has been assigned the Opening Day start for the Braves to kick off the 2025 season. Sale, the 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner, looks to continue his dominance in 2025 for the Braves and will start the season on the road versus the San Diego Padres on Thursday, March 27. The Padres have a solid lineup, including superstars
Manny Machado and
Fernando Tatis Jr. Regardless, Sale is one of the most dominant starters in the game, and fantasy managers should start him confidently next Thursday. During the 2024 season, Sale went 18-3 with an 11.4 K/9, 2.38 ERA, a 6.4 WAR, and a 2.09 FIP. Look for him to continue to rack up the wins and strikeouts behind one of the most potent lineups in baseball.
--Nicho Roessler - RotoBallerSource: Atlanta Braves
February 19, 2025
The Athletic's David O'Brien reports that Atlanta Braves left-hander
Chris Sale will start this year's Grapefruit League opener on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins. Barring an unexpected development, Sale, last year's National League Cy Young winner, will also start the regular-season opener on March 27 at the San Diego Padres. Sale was amazing in his first year in Atlanta in 2024, winning the pitching Triple Crown by leading the league in wins (18), ERA (majors-best 2.38) and strikeouts (225 in 177 2/3 innings). His 29 starts were his most since 2017 and he was able to stay healthy until the last week of the season, when back spasms caused him to miss his final start and a wild-card loss to the Padres in the playoffs. The good news is his spasms subsided and he had a normal offseason. Sale is a top-five fantasy starter in 2025, albeit with plenty of injury risk.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - David O'Brien
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