Chris Sale DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale has lasted five or fewer innings and allowed three or more earned runs in each of his four starts this year, including 4 2/3 and 4 1/3 innings in his past two. Last year, he had only two starts of less than five innings. Sale has surrendered 15 hits and nine runs (eight earned) in nine innings in his last two starts. "I just hate sucking, and I'm just bad. Simple," Sale said. His average fastball velocity was 96.2 mph in his start on Sunday against the Rays -- up 3 mph from his previous season average. The reigning National League Cy Young has allowed at least three runs in each of his four starts in 2025 after giving up more than two earned runs in only three of 29 starts a year ago. The fact that Sale is healthy has made the poor start more frustrating, but it should also ease the minds of fantasy managers that he'll turn it around sooner than later.

Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale has been assigned the Opening Day start for the Braves to kick off the 2025 season. Sale, the 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner, looks to continue his dominance in 2025 for the Braves and will start the season on the road versus the San Diego Padres on Thursday, March 27. The Padres have a solid lineup, including superstars Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. Regardless, Sale is one of the most dominant starters in the game, and fantasy managers should start him confidently next Thursday. During the 2024 season, Sale went 18-3 with an 11.4 K/9, 2.38 ERA, a 6.4 WAR, and a 2.09 FIP. Look for him to continue to rack up the wins and strikeouts behind one of the most potent lineups in baseball.

The Athletic's David O'Brien reports that Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale will start this year's Grapefruit League opener on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins. Barring an unexpected development, Sale, last year's National League Cy Young winner, will also start the regular-season opener on March 27 at the San Diego Padres. Sale was amazing in his first year in Atlanta in 2024, winning the pitching Triple Crown by leading the league in wins (18), ERA (majors-best 2.38) and strikeouts (225 in 177 2/3 innings). His 29 starts were his most since 2017 and he was able to stay healthy until the last week of the season, when back spasms caused him to miss his final start and a wild-card loss to the Padres in the playoffs. The good news is his spasms subsided and he had a normal offseason. Sale is a top-five fantasy starter in 2025, albeit with plenty of injury risk.