The Atlanta Braves and ace Chris Sale agreed to a one-year, $27 million extension.<\/p>\n
Atlanta will also have a club option worth $30 million for the 2028 season. ESPN’s Jeff Passan<\/a> first reported on the move.<\/p>\n This will make Sale the highest-paid player on the Braves in 2027. Third baseman Austin Riley, first baseman Matt Olson and starting pitcher Spencer Strider all make $22 million apiece.<\/p>\n The team’s projected payroll<\/a> also climbs to around $177.3 million.<\/p>\n Sale has been dominant on the mound since his trade to Atlanta. <\/p>\n In 50 appearances<\/a>, he has a 2.46 ERA and a 2.33 FIP while averaging 11.6 strikeouts per nine innings. Among pitchers with at least 250 innings, only Tarik Skubal, Cristopher S\u00e1nchez, Paul Skenes and Garrett Crochet have a higher WAR across 2024 and 2025, per FanGraphs<\/a>.<\/p>\n Re-signing Sale, even on a short-term deal, does carry some risk, though. <\/p>\n The southpaw hasn’t logged 30-plus starts since 2017. A fractured rib cage cost him two months last year. In terms of the bigger picture, the Tommy John surgery he had in 2020 underscored the longstanding concerns<\/a> about whether his unique delivery placed additional strain on his throwing arm.<\/p>\n Sale, who turns 37 in March, isn’t getting any younger, either.<\/p>\n A one-year pact with the opportunity to extend it for a second is at least a sensible gamble when another strong season almost assuredly would’ve netted Sale a salary of $30 million or more on the open market.<\/p>\n Two-time reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal is by far the best starter set to hit free agency<\/a> next winter. Freddy Peralta, Sandy Alcantara, Kevin Gausman and Michael King are among the next best alternatives.<\/p>\n