The Braves traded Vaughn Grissom to the Red Sox in exchange for Chris Sale and $17 million. At the time, the $17 million covered everything but the $500k that he was due this year. He had another $10 million that was deferred over 15 years, as well. In 2025, Sale only had the security of a $20 million vesting option that would be picked up under certain circumstances. Under the new deal, Atlanta is locked into paying Sale $38 million over the next two seasons. Instead of the $20 million option in 2025, he will now earn a guaranteed $22 million.
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The Braves are now guaranteed to spend more money on the 35-year-old injury-prone former ace. We try and explain why the Braves made the move to extend Chris Sale.
1. The Braves have great faith in their medical staff’s assessment of Sale’s health
If Sale can stay healthy then the Braves are four-deep with aces. They will be in a position to better withstand injuries and trust they have starting pitchers to give them a legitimate chance to win. Not only will it help this year, but it will be a huge boost over the following two seasons as the Braves attempt to build the bridge to the future that probably doesn’t involve Max Fried or Charlie Morton. Again, this plan all comes back to faith in Chris Sale’s health. Hmmm… maybe Chris Sale is going to be a steal in our fantasy drafts this year. The Braves do not seem to be nearly as concerned as fantasy baseball managers.
2. Perhaps Chris Sale stipulated an extension as part of him waiving his no-trade clause?
The no-trade clause gives the players a lot of leverage. They can demand an extension in exchange for waiving the clause. Perhaps that is what happened with Chris Sale in this scenario. He is now guaranteed $22 million in his age-36 season, whereas before he wasn’t guaranteed anything.
3. This extension eliminates $10 million in deferred money.
Perhaps both sides of this deal are happier not messing around with 15 years of deferred payments. The money now will be worth more than it would have been at the time and it benefits both sides in the end. Restructuring this deal was a great idea for the Braves and Sale.
Bonus reason: The sole purpose of this extension was to get Chris Sale to agree to send one percent of his salary to the Atlanta Braves Foundation.
I get the head-scratching, but if Sale demanded an extension then this risk is no different than the ones they took on Josh Donaldson, Marcell Ozuna, and Cole Hamels. The Braves gave each of them a one-year deal worth around $20 million. Since the Red Sox are paying the Braves a million dollars more than Sale will earn in 2024, they are still only risking the $22 million Sale will earn next season. Risk mitigated.
One thing is for sure, if Chris Sale can stay healthy and the Braves can get two quality seasons out of him for the price of one, we will once again be thanking Alex Anthopoulos for his foresight.
Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to check out more from the House That Hank Built below. Kris Medlen recently stopped by my podcast so make sure you check that out here. We discussed many things, including why Spencer Strider doesn’t NEED a 3rd pitch to dominate.
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Braves give big show of confidence to Chris Sale with two year extension
Braves give big show of confidence to Chris Sale with two year extension
By Eric Cole
The Atlanta Braves came out of nowhere last week with a deal with the Red Sox that sent Vaughn Grissom to Boston and brought seven time All-Star starter Chris Sale to the Braves. While Atlanta adding a starter this offseason is hardly surprising, that it was Sale caught almost everyone by surprise. AA never disappoints.
Under the terms of his old contract, the Braves had Sale under control for the 2024 season and also had a club option for $20 million for 2025. The emphasis here is on “his old contract” because the team announced today that they had agreed to terms on a two year, $38 million extension with Sale with an $18 million club option for 2026.
Chris Sale gets two year extension before pitching an inning for the Braves
In a vacuum, this is a classic Anthopoulos move. AA has a history of betting on the moves he makes with Matt Olson’s extension being a notable example. Assuming Sale stays healthy (which is a big “if”), the Braves gain another year of team control, get rid of the deferred money that was owed to Sale under his old deal, and gain some more stability in their rotation which is going to be undergoing a transition in the next couple of years.
In terms of 2024 dollars, not much has changed. The Red Sox sent $17 million over in the earlier trade which covered the Braves’ obligation for this season anyways, so the Braves end up about $1 million head this year. Sale gets another $17 million or so in new guaranteed money overall and the deal essentially amounts to the Braves exercising his old contract option with a slight pay bump for 2025 while also gaining another club option at a reasonable rate.
The elephant in the room, of course, is how much Sale is going to be able to take the mound as several injuries including Tommy John surgery has cost Sale significant playing time the last few years. Sale did look good at the end of last season to be sure, but he also has only thrown around 150 innings total since 2019. If he stays healthy, this could be a huge win for Atlanta. If he gets hurt again, then the Braves are back to square one with the prospect of losing Charlie Morton and Max Fried over the next 12 months or so.
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What’s next for the Atlanta Braves after trading for Chris Sale?
What’s next for the Atlanta Braves after trading for Chris Sale?
By Seth Carter
The Atlanta Braves made the splashy move we’ve all been waiting for this offseason. They sent Vaughn Grissom to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Chris Sale on December 30th. The Red Sox also sent cash to help cover the cost of his contract for the 2024 season. Now that the rotation is stacked four studs deep, we explore what Alex Anthopoulos’ next move might be.
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The Red Sox are covering $17 million of Sale’s $27.5 million next season. It’s a great deal for the Braves in terms of pure cost. To get a player of Chris Sale’s caliber for $10.5 million is an incredible deal, despite a severe injury history. Luis Severino ($13 million), Jack Flaherty ($14 million), and Frankie Montas ($16 million) are all former big names who have dealt with injuries and struggles over recent years. They all cost more than what the Braves will pay for Chris Sale in 2024 if you exclude the cost of losing Vaughn Grissom.
None of those guys have the resume that the seven-time All-Star (Sale) has. Those seven All-Star selections were consecutive, by the way. Yes, there is a risk with his injury history but on a cost basis, it’s a low risk with a high potential reward for the Braves.
The player cost of Vaughn Grissom does leave a hole for the Braves. Grissom presented solid outfield depth with the bat (glove unknown at this point). He also might have had a pathway to playing time should Kelenic struggle out of the gate. Grissom’s bat is no joke.
If Chris Sale is healthy and performs like Chris Sale in 2024, the tradeoff is a no-brainer. Even if he doesn’t, the risk is worth the tradeoff. Obtaining a quality fourth outfielder is a much easier task than adding a potential ace to the rotation, making it four-deep now.
David Fletcher has logged 164.2 major-league innings in the outfield and, I might say, performed very well. As one of the premier defensive players at one of the hardest positions to play, it’s no surprise Fletcher’s skills translated well to the outfield. Read more about how David Fletcher could overtake Orlando Arcia at shortstop in 2024.
Jarred Kelenic’s struggles could open the door for a plan B
There are still quality options as a fourth outfielder out there. It could be alluring to a player looking for an opportunity. Kelenic has struggled outside of the first two months of last year. In 252 career games, Kelenic’s OPS+ is just 85. His career slash line is .204/.283/.373. Kelenic is under contract for the next five years. If he’s not ready to contribute this year, then you have to think the Braves won’t hesitate to turn the reins over to someone who is.
There is still a long list of veterans who could fill that role. Guys like Eddie Rosario, Tommy Pham, Joc Pederson, Austin Meadows, Joey Gallo, Aaron Hicks, Adam Duvall, Rafael Ortega, Wil Myers, Kevin Pillar, Kole Calhoun, and more.
There are plenty of options available and some of those names could come very cheap. The Braves had one of the greatest offenses in the game’s history last season. They did that with Eddie Rosario taking most of the reps in left field while posting a 100 OPS+. The lineup is stacked from top to bottom and they don’t necessarily need a world-beater in left. The ideal situation is, of course, that Jarred Kelenic lives up to his potential right out of the gates!
As of now, Forrest Wall is the only other outfielder on the 40-man. Expect the Braves to make a move to add depth and a potential plan B for Jarred Kelenic.
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What can Atlanta Braves fans expect from Chris Sale?
What can Atlanta Braves fans expect from Chris Sale?
By Chase Owens
Just before the clock struck midnight on the 2023 calendar year, Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos made a deal to acquire seven time All-Star Chris Sale from the Boston Red Sox. Atlanta was able to bring in that playoff-caliber starter the organization and the fans wanted all offseason. The cost ended up being one of their top prospects in Vaughn Grissom.
By the small chance you are reading this and are unfamiliar with Sale’s history allow me to fill you in. Sale has spent 13 seasons in the American League as one of the top pitchers in baseball for both the White Sox and the Red Sox. From 2012-2018 he earned All-Star selections, and finished no lower than sixth in Cy Young voting in each year.
In 2019 the injuries started to plague Sale, with the big blow coming in the form of Tommy John Surgery in March of 2020. Sale finally came back from the UCL injury in late 2021 and pitched just over 40 innings. The next two seasons were effected by a rib injury and pinky fracture, both keeping Sale from getting over the 103 IP mark.
However, once Sale came back last season he showed some signs that motivated the Braves enough to make this deal. Let’s take a look at what type of pitcher Sale is today, and what Braves country can expect from him in the 2024 season.
Sale still piles up the swings and misses
Looking at his baseball savant page from 2023, you’ll notice Sale is still very good at getting big league hitters out. Last season, he ranked in the 85th percentile for expected batting average (xBA), 92nd percentile in chase%, 88th percentile in K%, 75th percentile in BB%, and 80th percentile in hard-hit%.
His fastball velocity isn’t what it used to be, averaging a tick below 94 mph, but his slider is still considered elite. Last season Sale threw his slider 37.5% of the time, and had a 38.9 whiff% on that pitch. In addition, opponents hit just .162 and had an expected slugging of (xSLG) of .310 against his slider. According to savant data, his slider averages 11 inches of break towards a right handed batter and drops 50 inches. League average horizontal movement is 6 inches and 37 inches drop.
As we said earlier, the fastball isn’t what it once was, but it’s still effective enough to keep big league hitters guessing. In the 102.2 IP in 2023, Sale still piled up enough strikeouts to give him an above-average 29.4 strikeout percentage. In total, Sale had a 3.71 xERA, 3.72 xFIP, and was worth 2.1 fWAR last year. Certainly numbers you’d take from a fourth starter.
In Fangraphs steamer projections for Sale in 2024, they currently see him pitching 141 innings, 3.74 ERA, 3.71 xFIP, K% nearing 28, and being worth 2.8 fWAR. Any team in baseball would sign up for a near 3.0 fWAR season from their fourth starter.
In the end, this trade all comes down to the health of Chris Sale in 2024. And more than anything, is Sale healthy when October rolls around. Alex Anthopoulos stated the Braves were in the market for a pitcher that could start a postseason game for them. Sale currently fits that profile, but it all comes down to him being available late in the season. Should that be the case, I think the Braves will feel good about this trade come seasons end.
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Braves bail out Red Sox, trade top prospect for Chris Sale’s contract in shocker
Braves bail out Red Sox, trade top prospect for Chris Sale’s contract in shocker
By Eric Cole
The Atlanta Braves certainly have stayed busy this offseason with the trade for Jarred Kelenic to play left field and a slew of moves to reshape the bullpen. They also signed Reynaldo Lopez which may or may not end up benefitting the rotation, but the deal was a good one to make either way. However, many Braves fans have been clamoring for more especially when it comes to adding a starting pitcher.
In fairness to Alex Anthopoulos and the Braves, it hasn’t been for lack of trying. They reportedly made an offer to Aaron Nola before he returned to Philadelphia and they were widely known to have been interested in Sonny Gray before he signed with the Cardinals. There have also been no shortage of connections between the team and a Dylan Cease trade with the White Sox, although progress there has been minimal so far.
Well, Alex Anthopoulos once again worked his magic and pulled off a deal that no one expected on Saturday as it was reported that the Braves were acquiring Chris Sale in a stunning deal with the Red Sox.
Braves’ trade for Chris Sale has tons of risk as well as upside
The most important thing about this deal is how much of Sale’s contract the Braves are actually going to be paying. Boston is sending $17 million over with Sale and given that he is owed $27.5 million for 2024 with the Braves now also holding a $20 million option for 2025, this deal could end up being a bargain for the Braves if Sale can return to form and be good enough to warrant exercising that option. Given that $10 million of Sale’s salary next year is deferred, the Braves basically have his entire financial commitment covered already for 2024.
The good news with this deal is that Sale’s track record when he is healthy is pretty remarkable. He has made seven All-Star teams, has finished in the top 6 of Cy Young voting seven times, and has fairly consistently missed bats his entire career. The problem is that he can’t stay healthy with Tommy John surgery as well as a rib and finger injury all costing him significant time over the last few years. He made 20 starts last year which still wasn’t a full season’s worth, but it was also the most starts he had made since 2019.
As for Grissom, it was just hard to see him having a future in Atlanta. The guy can clearly hit, but it is unclear as to whether or not he will ever impact the ball consistently and his defense is still questionable despite some improvements the last year or two. The Braves tried to sell him as an option in left field for 2024, but that ship sailed once the ink was dry on the Kelenic deal and there wasn’t a clear spot for him in the big leagues with Atlanta going forward after that.
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