Chris Sale

Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (2010-2026)

Chris Sale is a pitcher who has played in Major League Baseball since 2010 for the Chicago White Sox, the Boston Red Sox, and the Atlanta Braves, a span of 17 seasons. Across 420 career appearances, he has gone 159-97 with a 2.95 ERA and 2,779 strikeouts. Chris Sale is a 9-time All-Star, a Cy Young, a Gold Glove, and a Pitching Triple Crown. His career Pitcher PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of pitching impact — is 65833.6.

W (Wins):
Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
ERA (Earned Run Average):
Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
SO (Strikeouts):
For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.

Data updated

Active Player
W–L 159–97
ERA 2.95
WHIP 1.04
SO 2,779
Pitcher PIV thru 2025 65833.6
Position
Pitcher
Bats / Throws
L / L
Height / Weight
6'6" / 183 lb
Born
3/30/1989 in Lakeland, FL, USA
MLB Debut
2010-08-06
Awards
9× All-Star · Cy Young · Gold Glove · Pitching Triple Crown
Jersey
#51

Full name: Christopher Sale

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Career Pitching Statistics

Chris Sale — Career Pitching Statistics
W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
159 97 420 339 17 4 12 2246.2 1,821 736 223 518 2,779 2.95 65833.6

Career ERA 2.95 vs. league average 4.11 across their career seasons — 28.3% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Pitching Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Chris Sale Stats, Bio & Career Records
Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
2010 CHA AL 2 1 21 0 0 0 4 23.1 15 5 10 32 1.93 4.08 (+53%) 787.5
2011 CHA AL 2 2 58 0 0 0 8 71.0 52 22 27 79 2.79 3.94 (+29%) 1474.0
2012 CHA AL 17 8 30 29 1 0 0 192.0 167 65 51 192 3.05 4.01 (+24%) 3706.4
2013 CHA AL 11 14 30 30 4 1 0 214.1 184 73 46 226 3.07 3.87 (+21%) 3869.5
2014 CHA AL 12 4 26 26 2 0 0 174.0 129 42 39 208 2.17 3.74 (+42%) 5253.1
2015 CHA AL 13 11 31 31 1 0 0 208.2 185 79 42 274 3.41 3.96 (+14%) 6694.4
2016 CHA AL 17 10 32 32 6 1 0 226.2 190 84 45 233 3.34 4.19 (+20%) 4330.2
2017 BOS AL 17 8 32 32 1 0 0 214.1 165 69 43 308 2.90 4.36 (+34%) 10657.1
2018 BOS AL 12 4 27 27 0 0 0 158.0 102 37 34 237 2.11 4.15 (+49%) 8857.4
2019 BOS AL 6 11 25 25 1 1 0 147.1 123 72 37 218 4.40 4.51 (+2%) 4229.5
2021 BOS AL 5 1 9 9 0 0 0 42.2 45 15 12 52 3.16 4.27 (+26%) 624.0
2022 BOS AL 0 1 2 2 0 0 0 5.2 5 2 1 5 3.18 — 0.0
2023 BOS AL 6 5 20 20 0 0 0 102.2 87 49 29 125 4.30 4.33 (+1%) 1392.3
2024 ATL NL 18 3 29 29 0 0 0 177.2 141 47 39 225 2.38 4.08 (+42%) 9172.5
2025 ATL NL 7 5 21 20 0 0 0 125.2 102 36 32 165 2.58 4.16 (+38%) 4785.7
2026 ATL NL 14 9 27 27 1 1 0 162.2 129 39 31 200 2.16 4.18 (+48%) -
Career · 16 seasons 159 97 420 339 17 4 12 2,246.2 1,821 736 518 2,779 2.95 — 65,834

Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.

Career Batting Statistics

Chris Sale — Career Batting Statistics
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
393 26 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 14 .115 .115 .154 .269 0

Career AVG .115 vs. league average .251 across their career seasons — 54.0% below league average.

Career OBP .115 vs. league average .318 across their career seasons — 63.8% below league average.

Career SLG .154 vs. league average .407 across their career seasons — 62.2% below league average.

Career OPS .269 vs. league average .725 across their career seasons — 62.9% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Chris Sale Stats, Bio & Career Records
Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
2010 CHA AL 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
2011 CHA AL 58 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
2012 CHA AL 30 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 — — — — 0.0
2013 CHA AL 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
2014 CHA AL 26 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 — — — — 0.0
2015 CHA AL 31 9 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 .111 — — — — 0.0
2016 CHA AL 32 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .167 — — — — 0.0
2017 BOS AL 32 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .333 — — — — 0.0
2018 BOS AL 27 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 — — — — 0.0
2019 BOS AL 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
2021 BOS AL 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 — — — — 0.0
2022 BOS AL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
2023 BOS AL 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
2024 ATL NL 29 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
2025 ATL NL 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
Career · 15 seasons 393 26 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 14 .115 — — — — 0

Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

Chris Sale — Playoff Career Batting
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Playoff Batting by Year

Chris Sale — Playoff Batting by Year
Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
2021 ALCS BOS 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
2021 ALDS2 BOS 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
2018 ALCS BOS 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
2018 ALDS1 BOS 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
2018 WS BOS 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
2017 ALDS2 BOS 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Playoff Career Pitching

Chris Sale — Playoff Career Pitching
W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
1 3 10 7 0 34.0 36 24 13 47 6.35

Playoff Pitching by Year

Chris Sale — Playoff Pitching by Year
Year Round Team W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
2021 ALCS BOS 0 1 2 2 0 8.0 8 3 3 9 3.38
2021 ALDS2 BOS 0 0 1 1 0 1.0 4 5 1 2 45.00
2018 ALCS BOS 0 0 1 1 0 4.0 1 2 4 5 4.50
2018 ALDS1 BOS 1 0 2 1 0 6.1 5 2 2 9 2.84
2018 WS BOS 0 0 2 1 0 5.0 5 3 2 10 5.40
2017 ALDS2 BOS 0 2 2 1 0 9.2 13 9 1 12 8.38

Game Log & Splits

View full game log (786 games) →

Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).

Batting — Home / Away

Chris Sale — Batting — Home / Away
SplitGABRHHRRBIAVG
Home19300000—
Away200261300.115

Pitching — Home / Away

Chris Sale — Pitching — Home / Away
SplitGIPHERBBSOERA
Home1931021.282234322712573.02
Away2001062.187035426013223.00

Last 10 Games — Pitching

Chris Sale — Last 10 Games — Pitching
DateTmOppDecIPHRERBBSOHR
2025-09-28 ATLPIT W 5.2411290
2025-09-22 ATLWAS W 5.0355262
2025-09-16 ATLWAS — 8.0300090
2025-09-10 ATLCHC L 5.0733191
2025-09-05 ATLSEA — 6.2411090
2025-08-30 ATLPHI — 6.0311191
2025-06-18 ATLNYN W 8.2500170
2025-06-09 ATLMIL W 7.05112110
2025-06-04 ATLAZ L 6.03114100
2025-05-29 ATLPHI W 6.0200380

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Chris Sale — Career Fielding Totals by Position
Position G GS PO A E DP
P 393 312 90 194 6 13

Season-by-Season Fielding

Chris Sale — Season-by-Season Fielding
Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
2010 CHA P 21 0 0 1 0 0
2011 CHA P 58 0 5 15 0 0
2012 CHA P 30 29 8 25 1 1
2013 CHA P 30 30 5 19 1 1
2014 CHA P 26 26 4 13 0 0
2015 CHA P 31 31 7 16 1 1
2016 CHA P 32 32 12 19 0 1
2017 BOS P 32 32 8 22 0 3
2018 BOS P 27 27 12 12 1 2
2019 BOS P 25 25 6 7 0 1
2021 BOS P 9 9 0 6 0 0
2022 BOS P 2 2 1 0 0 0
2023 BOS P 20 20 6 4 1 1
2024 ATL P 29 29 9 22 0 1
2025 ATL P 21 20 7 13 1 1

Career Games by Position

Position Diamond

Circle size = games played at each position.

Chris Sale Stats, Bio & Career Records
Position Games
Pitcher 393

Awards & Honors

Chris Sale — Awards & Honors
Year Award Notes
2024 All-MLB Team - First Team SP
2024 Comeback Player of the Year
2024 Cy Young Award
2024 Gold Glove P
2024 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award
2024 MLB Players Choice Comeback Player
2024 MLB Players Choice Outstanding Pitcher
2024 Pitcher of the Month May
2024 Pitching Triple Crown
2024 TSN All-Star SP
2024 TSN Comeback Player of the Year
2024 TSN Pitcher of the Year
2018 Pitcher of the Month July
2018 Pitcher of the Month June
2018 TSN All-Star SP
2018 TSN Pitcher of the Year
2017 TSN All-Star SP
2017 TSN Pitcher of the Year
2015 Pitcher of the Month June
2012 Pitcher of the Month May

Salary History

Chris Sale's recorded salaries total $20,425,000 over 6 seasons, 2011 to 2016. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Sale's career ran from 2010 to 2026. His seasons after 2016 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 2010.

Chris Sale — Salary History
Year Team League Salary
2016 CHA AL $9,150,000
2015 CHA AL $6,000,000
2014 CHA AL $3,500,000
2013 CHA AL $850,000
2012 CHA AL $500,000
2011 CHA AL $425,000
Total recorded salary (partial) $20,425,000

College History

Chris Sale — College History
School Name City State Years Attended
Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers FL 2008, 2009, 2010

Award Voting History

Chris Sale — Award Voting History
Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
2024 Cy Young Award NL 1st 198.0 210 26
2024 Most Valuable Player NL 7th 99.0 420 0
2018 Cy Young Award AL 4th 59.0 210 0
2018 Most Valuable Player AL 22th 1.0 420 0
2017 Cy Young Award AL 2nd 126.0 210 2
2017 Most Valuable Player AL 9th 56.0 420 0
2016 Cy Young Award AL 5th 40.0 210 0
2016 Most Valuable Player AL 16th 3.0 420 0
2015 Cy Young Award AL 4th 30.0 210 0
2015 Most Valuable Player AL 19th 4.0 420 0
2014 Cy Young Award AL 3rd 78.0 210 0
2013 Cy Young Award AL 5th 44.0 210 1
2012 Cy Young Award AL 6th 17.0 196 0

Most Similar Players

Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.

  1. 98
    Gerrit Cole
    163-89, 3.20 ERA
  2. 84
    Sandy Koufax HOF
    165-87, 2.76 ERA
  3. 82
    Johan Santana
    139-78, 3.20 ERA
  4. 80
    David Price
    157-82, 3.32 ERA
  5. 78
    Stephen Strasburg
    113-62, 3.24 ERA
  6. 77
    Pedro Martinez HOF
    219-100, 2.93 ERA

Compare Chris Sale

Side-by-side career stat comparisons against Sale's closest peers by position and era.

vs Roger Clemens
vs Cy Young
vs Greg Maddux
vs Walter Johnson
vs Randy Johnson
vs Pedro Martinez

Browse all MLB player comparisons →

See Chris Sale in Another Era

What would Sale's 2018 season look like in a different era's run environment? Try the cross-era translation with a live slider.

Translate Chris Sale's peak season across eras →

Chris Sale: the record in brief

The debut date in the bio is August 6, 2010; Chris Sale is an active player, and this profile updates as the season goes on. By club, Sale's seasons break down as the Chicago White Sox (2010 through 2016), the Boston Red Sox (2017 to 2023), and the Atlanta Braves (2024 to 2025). The bio lists Sale as a pitcher who threw and hit left-handed. Height and weight on file: 6-foot-6 and 183 pounds. Sale was born on March 30, 1989, in Lakeland, FL, USA. Sale's full given name, per the bio, is Christopher Sale.

Sale has gone 159-97 with a 2.95 ERA in 420 games, 339 of them starts. Sale has 2,779 strikeouts, 17 complete games, and 12 saves. That 2.95 ERA compares with a 4.11 league average across the same seasons, 28.3% better. The best win total was 18, in 2024. The strikeout high was 308 in 2017. In 2018, one of the busiest seasons, Sale posted a 2.11 ERA; the league figure that year was 4.15.

Frequently Asked Questions about Chris Sale

What years did Chris Sale play?
Chris Sale played in Major League Baseball from 2010 to 2026.
Was Chris Sale a pitcher?
Yes. Chris Sale pitched in the major leagues, recording 159 wins and 2779 strikeouts.
How many home runs did Chris Sale hit?
Chris Sale hit 0 career home runs with 3 hits.
What teams has Chris Sale played for?
Chris Sale has played for 3 teams: the Chicago White Sox (2010–2016), the Boston Red Sox (2017–2019, 2021–2023), and the Atlanta Braves (2024–2026).
How many Cy Young Awards has Chris Sale won?
Chris Sale has won 1 Cy Young Award, in 2024.
What awards has Chris Sale won?
Chris Sale has won the Cy Young Award (2024), the pitching Triple Crown (2024), and the Gold Glove (2024). He has been selected to 9 All-Star Games.
What are Chris Sale's career stats?
In 420 games, Chris Sale has gone 159-97 with a 2.95 ERA, 2,779 strikeouts, 2,246.2 innings pitched, and 12 saves.
How much has Chris Sale earned in his career?
Chris Sale's recorded salaries total $20,425,000 over 6 seasons, 2011 to 2016. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Sale's career ran from 2010 to 2026. His seasons after 2016 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 2010.
What was Chris Sale's salary?
Chris Sale's last recorded salary was $9,150,000, in 2016. His highest recorded salary was $9,150,000, in 2016, and his lowest was $425,000, in 2011. The Salary History table lists each season from 2011 to 2016.
What position does Chris Sale play?
Chris Sale plays primarily as a pitcher, the position where he has appeared in the most games.
How tall is Chris Sale and how much does he weigh?
Chris Sale is listed at 6 feet 6 inches and 183 pounds.
What number does Chris Sale wear?
Chris Sale wears number 51, according to MLB's 2026 roster data.
What was Chris Sale's career ERA?
Chris Sale finished with a 2.95 career ERA, going 159-97 with 2,779 strikeouts.
How many strikeouts did Chris Sale have?
Chris Sale recorded 2,779 career strikeouts.