Report: Chris Sale Reveals He Nearly Retired Recently

Chris Sale, the newly crowned National League Cy Young Award winner, revealed he was on the verge of retiring before his December 2023 trade from the Boston Red Sox to the Atlanta Braves.

In an interview with Foul Territory TV, the 35-year-old pitcher admitted, "Before I got traded last offseason, we were really kind of planning that this year was probably going to be my last year playing."

After years of battling injuries and inconsistency, the left-hander considered stepping away from the game. However, the trade to Atlanta reignited his passion for baseball, giving him the opportunity to rewrite the final chapter of his career.

Chris Sale was initially planning on 2024 being his last season before he got traded to Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/G0YDZVTcGf
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) November 21, 2024

The decision to continue playing proved transformative.

Sale dominated in his first season with the Braves, finishing with an 18-3 record, a league-best 2.38 ERA, 225 strikeouts, and a 1.013 WHIP over 177.2 innings.

His stellar performance earned him his first Cy Young Award, the National League pitching triple crown, Comeback Player of the Year honors, and a Gold Glove.

Despite being sidelined by back spasms during Atlanta’s Wild Card Series loss to San Diego, Sale’s regular-season heroics were crucial, especially with the team losing All-Star Spencer Strider to a season-ending injury in April.

Reflecting on his journey, Sale said, “I’m glad it worked out this way. I feel like I’m able to appreciate this moment more now.”

Chris Sale wins his first career Cy Young Award 🏆

A resurgent year for the lefty 📈 pic.twitter.com/pFpM7JfNUU
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 20, 2024