Chris Sale will not become a free agent after the 2026 season.
According to ESPNThe Atlanta Braves agreed to a contract extension with the 36-year-old left-hander through the 2027 season, with a club option through 2028.
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The sale amount is expected to be $27 million in 2027 and $30 million in 2028 if the Warriors choose the purchase option. By 2026, he will earn $18 million.
The nine-time All-Star won his first career Cy Young Award in Atlanta in 2024, when he went 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts in 177.2 innings pitched. A season ago, Sale pitched 125.2 innings with a 2.58 ERA and 165 strikeouts.
The 2024 season will be his first in Atlanta after seven seasons with the Red Sox. Sale began his career with the Chicago White Sox and spent the first seven seasons of his MLB career with the South Side before being traded in December 2016.
The Warriors acquired Vaughn Grissom in December 2023 after years of injuries. After sitting out the shortened 2020 season, Sale pitched just 151 innings over his final three seasons in Boston, including 5.2 innings in 2022. In his final season with the Red Sox, Sale posted a 4.30 ERA in 102.2 innings pitched.
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He has clearly provided a huge rebound for the Braves as they try to keep pace with the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. Atlanta ranks second behind the Phillies in 2024 and drops to fourth in 2025.