Chris Sale and the Atlanta Braves have agreed on a one-year, $27 million extension that includes a $30 million club option for 2028, according to multiple reports.
The 36-year-old Cy Young winner would have become a free agent after this season, but will instead remain in Atlanta, where he has resurrected his career since his 2024 trade from the Boston Red Sox.
Since arriving in Atlanta, Sale has earned two All-Star nods in two seasons and was named the National League’s Cy Young winner in 2024, while also earning Gold Glove and Comeback Player of the Year honors.
For his career, the 6ft6 southpaw has earned $176 million, but could approach $300 million some day due to deferred payments from his Red Sox years, according to Spotrac.
Although he was crucial part of Boston’s 2018 World Series title, Sale’s injury issues mounted as he appeared in only 56 games from 2019 through 2023. Ultimately Boston swapped Sale for minor league infielder Vaughn Grissom, who has since been traded to the Los Angeles Angels for outfielder Isaiah Jackson.
Meanwhile, Sale sits atop a rotation that hopes to have a healthy, effective Spencer Strider back in 2026. The 2023 All-Star struggled in 2025 after returning from Tommy John surgery on his elbow.
Chris Sale (center) and the Atlanta Braves have agreed on a one-year, $27 million extension that includes a $30 million club option for 2028, ESPN is reporting
Atlanta also has Reynaldo Lopez, Grant Holmes and Joey Wentz in its rotation entering the season.
Unfortunately for the Braves, right-handed starter Spencer Schwellenbach had surgery Wednesday to clean up ‘loose bodies’ in his elbow, and another potential starter, Hurston Waldrep, will undergo a similar procedure next week.
Schwellenbach, 25, is already on the 60-day injured list. A season ago, he was 7-4 with a 3.08 ERA in 17 starts before injuring his below.
Meanwhile, Waldrep’s issues arose more recently. The former first-round pick recently had discomfort in his elbow after throwing batting practice over the weekend, although an MRI did not reveal any ligament damage.