Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale stepped on the mound on Wednesday night with a continued sense of dominance. The last weeks of the season, the Braves have been able to watch true greatness with the veteran putting on a show in each of his last outings. This included against the division-leading New York Mets, whom Sale would shut out over 8.2 innings, falling one strike short of having a complete game. It was as dominating a performance as Atlanta fans have watched this season, and a reminder of what a slam dunk of a trade it was acquiring the lefty.
It is important to note that the obvious impact and focus of the team remains turning the 2025 season around. Sale has done everything within his power to reasonably make sure that this happens.
However, if there is one side story Braves fans should be paying attention to, it is the chances that it is Sale starting on the mound for Atlanta in the 2025 All-Star game. The veteran leads the National League in strikeouts and has shrunk his ERA down to 2.52 on the season.
Braves Ace Chris Sale Deserves All-Star Honor
Already, Braves manager Brian Snitker has been added to the coaching staff as one inclusion for Atlanta. It appears the team's second-best shot of having a player make the roster in the next phase is Ronald Acuña Jr. Despite the outfielder's absence due to injury, the star is in 6th place in the first ballot update and will continue to surge as an impressive season continues.
For Sale, there is a pretty easy case to be made when you factor in the home crowd. In the last six starts, the veteran has completed at least 6.0 innings each time and gone 7.0 innings or more in three. Giving the Braves longevity in his starts while giving up one earned run or less. It is truly one of the most incredible runs in recent memory and a reminder of the ceiling of what this roster could be.
If it continues in the next two weeks of the season, there shouldn't be any choice but to put Sale on the mound to start the 2025 MLB All-Star game.