The Atlanta Braves have exercised their club option on left-hander Chris Sale , who will make $18 million in 2026, a source confirmed to ESPN.

The 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner went 7-5 with a 2.58 ERA and 165 strikeouts for the Braves this season. The nine-time All-Star suffered a ribcage fracture in June when he dove to field a grounder and missed 10 weeks after being placed on the 60-day injured list.

In the six starts after his return, Sale didn't miss a beat, posting a 2.72 ERA and striking out 52 batters in just 36 1/3 innings.

His injury was one in a series of injuries for the Braves' starting rotation last season, as all of their Opening Day starters were on the IL as Atlanta missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

Sale, 36, won the pitching Triple C

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