Chris Sale — Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale made Major League Baseball history Thursday night, becoming the fastest pitcher ever to reach 2,500 career strikeouts.
The 35-year-old left-hander reached the milestone in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies, striking out his eighth batter of the night.
Sale achieved the feat in just 2,026 innings pitched — breaking the record previously held by Hall of Famer Randy Johnson, who reached the same milestone in 2,107 2/3 innings.
With the strikeout, Sale joined an elite club of active pitchers to hit the 2,500 mark, including Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and Clayton Kershaw. However, none of them — or any pitcher in MLB history — got there faster than Sale.
This accomplishment marks a full-circle moment for a pitcher who, not long ago, appeared to be in the twilight of his career due to a string of injuries. After winning a World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2018, Sale battled multiple setbacks, including Tommy John surgery, a fractured rib, a broken pinky finger, and even a broken wrist during rehab.
Now fully healthy and thriving in Atlanta, Sale has enjoyed a stunning resurgence. In 2024, he posted an 18-3 record with a 2.38 ERA, 225 strikeouts, and a 1.013 WHIP — performances that earned him his first-ever Cy Young Award.
Thursday’s outing was another dominant display. Sale tossed six shutout innings, giving up just two hits and striking out eight, helping the Braves to an 8-0 lead before exiting in the seventh inning.
The win improved Atlanta’s record to 26-29, ending a tough series against a strong Phillies team. Sale, who was traded from the Red Sox to the Braves in 2023, has quickly become the ace Atlanta desperately needed.
Since the beginning of the 2024 season, he’s gone 20-6 with a 2.63 ERA and 303 strikeouts in just 239.1 innings — proving he’s back among baseball’s elite.
He also continues to climb the all-time strikeout leaderboard. With 2,500 Ks now under his belt, Sale currently ranks 38th in MLB history. With another 100 strikeouts — a pace well within reach if he remains healthy — Sale could move past 10 more names on that list, including Braves legends Tom Glavine (2,607) and Warren Spahn (2,583).
Though he won’t face his former team this weekend when the Braves host the Red Sox, Sale already made a statement earlier this month at Fenway Park, where he struck out eight and allowed just one run over seven innings in a vintage performance.
For Sale, this latest milestone is more than just a number — it’s proof that after years of grueling rehab and uncertainty, he’s still one of the most dominant arms in baseball.