Braves secure Chris Sale with $27 million extension, signal long-term faith in veteran ace

Ahead of Spring Training, the Atlanta Braves agreed to a one-year, $27 million contract extension with the veteran left-hander, including the 2027 season with a $30 million club option for 2028. The move keeps Chris Sale from becoming a free agent next winter and is the largest single-season salary guaranteed by the Braves. The nine-time All-Star had a productive 2025 in Atlanta, and entering spring, Atlanta decided to keep Sales, ensuring stability in their roster ahead of the 2026 season. This extension ensures a bold confidence on Braves' part as Sale continues to pitch in new season.Chris Sale has rewarded Atlanta’s faith since coming in a December 2023 trade from the Boston Red Sox. In his first season in the big leagues with the Atlanta Braves, he had a career-defining campaign, winning the 2024 National League Cy Young Award, in which he went 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA and a league-leading 225 strikeouts in 177 2/3 innings. Though a rib injury saw him limited to 125 2/3 innings in 2025, Sale still had a 2.58 ERA with 165 strikeouts and just 32 walks. With young starters Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep suffering from injuries this spring, the Braves were quick to make sure their frontline starter stays put as they try to rebound from a 76-86 finish last season. The organization had already exercised its 2026 club option. Now, the February 24 extension is one sign that Sale may continue to fix the rotation in place deep into his late 30s.Few pitchers of his generation have had as much dominance and durability as Sale at his peak. In more than 15 major league seasons with the Chicago White Sox, Red Sox and the Braves, he has a 145-88 record with a 3.01 ERA and 2,579 strikeouts in 2,084 innings. His 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings is the highest number by any pitcher with at least 1,500 innings pitched. However, he isn’t unscathed. Injuries have already once clouded his path.Tommy John surgery in 2020 and several setbacks in Boston made him less available and raised questions about his future. But in Atlanta, Sale rediscovered his edge. His fastball remains in the mid 90s and touches at ninety-nine and his slider remains one of the unhittable pitches in baseball. By extending Sale’s contract again, the Braves are not just rewarding past performance. They are gambling that their ace has more chapters to write, and they'll be written in Atlanta.