Chris Sale just reminded the NL East that he is far from finished
Most pitchers lose velocity as they age. Chris Sale apparently did not get that memo. The Braves’ left-hander threw five shutout innings against the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday night, and somewhere in the middle of that outing, he uncorked a 99.4 mph fastball against Rhys Hoskins that tied for his hardest pitch since 2019.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan flagged the moment, noting that Sale is throwing as hard now as he did throughout his twenties. At 37 years old, that is not supposed to happen.
Sale looks like the best version of himself in Atlanta
And yet here he is. According to Baseball Savant, Sale’s four-seam fastball has topped out at 99.4 mph this season while averaging 94.8 mph, numbers that would be impressive for someone a decade younger. The velocity has been there all year, really.
Sale opened 2026 by throwing six shutout innings against the Royals on opening night, then followed it with a one-hit, six-inning gem against the Athletics where the only damage was a solo homer.
Chris Sale is a true marvel. At 37, he’s throwing as hard as he did throughout his 20s — and tonight, his 99.4-mph fastball against Rhys Hoskins tied for his fastest pitch since 2019. He has thrown five shutout against Cleveland as the Braves look to extend their NL East lead.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 13, 2026
A rough start against the Angels bumped his ERA to 3.94, but that felt more like a blip than a trend, and Sunday’s performance reinforced that.
Sale’s body nearly derailed his career. A torn Achilles, shoulder problems, years of injury frustration in Boston. When the Red Sox traded him to Atlanta after the 2023 season, it felt like a reclamation project at best.
He responded by winning the 2024 NL Cy Young Award and making back-to-back All-Star teams. The Braves signed him to a one-year, $27 million extension in February, and so far the investment looks like a bargain.
Entering Sunday, Sale needed just five strikeouts to become the 30th pitcher in MLB history to reach 2,600 for a career. That kind of milestone does not get enough attention for a guy who has spent the last two years pitching like someone who still has something to prove.
The Braves sat near the top of the NL East with the best team ERA in baseball heading into the weekend, and Sale is a massive reason why.
But honestly, the numbers are almost secondary to the visual. Watching a 37-year-old touch 99 and paint corners like it costs him nothing is one of the more fun things happening in baseball right now.
How long it lasts is anyone’s guess, but for the moment, Sale looks like he could pitch at this level for a while longer.
