ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves exercised options on left-hander Chris Sale and second baseman Ozzie Albies on Thursday while declining options on pitchers Pierce Johnson and Tyler Kinley.

Sale had an $18 million team option that increased the contract of the 36-year-old left-hander to $56 million for 2024-26 .

Sale earned his second straight All-Star selection and ninth overall, going 7-5 with a 2.58 ERA in a season in which he didn’t pitch between June 18 and Aug. 30 because of a fractured left ribcage , sustained while coming of the mound to field a grounder by the New York Mets’ Juan Soto. Sale is 25-8 with a 2.46 ERA in two seasons with the Braves, winning the 2024 NL Cy Young Award.

Albies gets a $7 million salary in 2026 for what will be the last season in a deal worth $45

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