Braves' Chris Sale named NL Cy Young finalist

Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale is a finalist for the National League Cy Young Award.

MLB Network announced the decision on Tuesday. The three players competing for the honor are Sale, Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Jacob Misiorowski, and Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez.

Sale delivered a strong statistical performance during the Braves' 94-win season. The 37-year-old recorded a 2.16 earned run average and struck out 200 batters over 162.2 innings of work. His pitching contributed to the Braves holding the fifth-best team earned run average in baseball at 3.63.

The award will be announced on Nov. 11. Misiorowski is currently considered the favorite to win. He finished the season with a 16-5 record, a 1.80 earned run average, and 252 strikeouts in 174 two-thirds innings across 30 starts. Sale signed a one-year contract extension worth $27 million in February. That deal includes a club option for $30 million in 2028.

Sale's return to top form has reinvigorated discussions about his Hall of Fame status. Injuries limited him to just 151 innings from 2020 through 2023. However, his performance in Atlanta, including an 11-strikeout complete game shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 27, has strengthened his case. He previously won the Cy Young Award in 2024 after leading MLB with 18 wins and posting a 2.38 earned run average.

Sale served as a key figure for the Braves' rotation, which faced injuries throughout the season. He worked alongside Bryce Elder, Grant Holmes, Martin Perez, and Tyler Mahle to help the team secure the NL East title. Manager Walt Weiss, who replaced Brian Snitker and guided the club to its first division title since 2023, is also a finalist for NL Manager of the Year. That award will be announced on Nov. 10.