Chris Sale Wins 2024 NL Cy Young Award: A Dominant Season and Historic Achievement

Atlanta Braves veteran left-hander Chris Sale has been awarded the National League Cy Young Award for the 2024 season. This marks Sale’s first Cy Young Award, as announced by the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) on Wednesday, November 20, 2024.

Sale had a stellar season, going 18-3 with an MLB-leading ERA of 2.38 across 177 ⅔ innings and 29 starts for the Braves. He also led the National League in strikeouts with 225 and had an impressive FIP of 2.09 and an ERA+ of 174. This performance earned him the pitching triple crown in the National League, making him the ninth pitcher in the league to achieve this feat while winning the Cy Young Award.

Sale’s resurgence in 2024 was particularly notable given his recent history of injuries. Over the prior three seasons, he was limited to just 151 innings due to various health issues, including a period of recovery from Tommy John surgery during the COVID-abbreviated 2020 season. His comeback was further recognized when he was awarded the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award just days ago.

Sale beat out Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies and Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who finished second and third in the voting, respectively. Wheeler had another strong season with a 2.57 ERA and 224 strikeouts, while Skenes, the No. 1 pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, impressed with a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts in his rookie year.

This win marks the eighth time a Braves pitcher has won the Cy Young Award, with Sale joining a list that includes Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and Warren Spahn. Sale becomes the first Braves pitcher to win the award since Tom Glavine in 1998).