ATLANTA — 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.

Atlanta also declined an $8 million option on shortstop David Fletcher, who receives a $1.5 million buyout and becomes arbitration eligible after finishing a $26 million, five-year contract he signed with the Los Angeles Angels.

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 th

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