History of Chris Sale in Timeline

Chris Sale is a left-handed American professional baseball pitcher currently playing for the Atlanta Braves in MLB. Previously, he played for the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox. Standing tall at 6 feet 6 inches, Sale is known for his pitching prowess and has been a significant player in Major League Baseball.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1908: Ed Walsh's Strikeout Record

In 1908, Ed Walsh set a franchise record for the number of strikeouts in a season, which Chris Sale later broke.

1982: White Sox Throwback Uniforms

In 1982, the Chicago White Sox had a particular throwback uniform design that was scheduled to be worn in 2016.

1983: Dave Stieb All-Star Selection

In 1983, Dave Stieb started for the American League in the All-Star Game. Chris Sale matched his record in 2017.

March 30, 1989: Chris Sale Born

On March 30, 1989, Christopher Allen Sale was born in Lakeland, Florida.

Others born on this day/year

1999: Pedro Martinez Strikeout Season

In 1999, Pedro Martinez had a 300 strikeout season in the American League, a feat which Chris Sale matched in 2017.

2000: Pedro Martínez Finishes Fifth in AL MVP Voting

In 2000, Pedro Martínez finished fifth in the AL MVP voting, making Chris Sale the first Red Sox pitcher to finish that high since then.

2000: Randy Johnson All-Star Selection

In 2000, Randy Johnson started for the National League in the All-Star Game. Chris Sale matched his record in 2017.

2001: Randy Johnson All-Star Selection

In 2001, Randy Johnson started for the National League in the All-Star Game. Chris Sale matched his record in 2017.

2007: Drafted and College Stay

In 2007, Chris Sale stayed in college after being drafted and developed his modified sidearm throwing motion.

2007: Drafted by Colorado Rockies

In the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft, Chris Sale was drafted in the 21st round by the Colorado Rockies, but he chose not to sign.

2008: All-Star for La Crosse Loggers

In 2008, Chris Sale was an All-Star for the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League.

2009: Cape Cod League

In 2009, Chris Sale pitched for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League, earning the league's Outstanding Pitcher award and All-Star Game MVP honors.

August 4, 2010: Called up to Majors

On August 4, 2010, Chris Sale was called up to the majors for the first time.

August 6, 2010: MLB Debut

On August 6, 2010, Chris Sale made his MLB debut against the Baltimore Orioles.

September 1, 2010: First Major League Save

On September 1, 2010, Chris Sale earned his first major league save against the Cleveland Indians.

2010: College Baseball Season

During the 2010 season at Florida Gulf Coast University, Chris Sale posted an 11-0 record with a 2.01 ERA, leading the NCAA in strikeouts and earning multiple awards.

2010: Drafted by White Sox

In 2010, Chris Sale was drafted by the Chicago White Sox with the 13th overall selection and assigned to the Winston-Salem Dash and later promoted to the Charlotte Knights.

2011: Bullpen Appearances

During the 2011 season, Chris Sale made 58 appearances out of the bullpen, achieving a 2-2 record with a 2.79 ERA and 8 saves.

2011: Triple Crown Milestone

In 2011, Tarik Skubal earned the Triple Crown in the American League, marking the first time since then that the milestone had been achieved in both leagues.

April 17, 2012: Nickname Coined

On April 17, 2012, Chris Sale's moniker "The Condor" was first coined on SB Nation's South Side Sox site.

2012: Transition to Starting Pitcher

Chris Sale transitioned to a starting pitcher for the 2012 season. On May 28, he struck out a career-high 15 batters against the Tampa Bay Rays.

2012: Season Performance and Cy Young Voting

During the 2012 season, Chris Sale had a 17-8 record with a 3.05 ERA and finished sixth in voting for the AL Cy Young Award.

2012: All-Star Selection

In 2012, Chris Sale was selected as an MLB All-Star, beginning a streak of seven consecutive All-Star seasons.

March 7, 2013: Contract Extension

On March 7, 2013, Chris Sale and the White Sox agreed on a five-year, $32 million contract with two option years.

May 12, 2013: One-Hit Shutout

On May 12, 2013, Chris Sale threw a one-hit shutout against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, allowing only one hit to Mike Trout.

2013: Season Stats and Cy Young Voting

In 2013, Chris Sale led the AL with 4 complete games and had 226 strikeouts, finishing fifth in Cy Young Award voting.

May 22, 2014: Return from Disabled List

On May 22, 2014, in his first start off the disabled list, Chris Sale retired the first 17 batters in a row against the New York Yankees.

June 7, 2014: Game Against Angels

During a game against the Angels on June 7, 2014, Chris Sale surrendered 5 runs in the 7th inning, including a grand slam by Mike Trout.

April 23, 2015: Bench-Clearing Brawl and Ejection

On April 23, 2015, Chris Sale was warned and later ejected after a bench-clearing brawl during a game against the Kansas City Royals.

2015: AL Strikeout Leader

In 2015, Chris Sale led the American League (AL) in strikeouts.

2015: Clayton Kershaw Strikeout Season

In 2015, Clayton Kershaw had a 300 strikeout season, a feat which Chris Sale matched in 2017.

December 6, 2016: Traded to Red Sox

On December 6, 2016, Chris Sale was traded by the White Sox to the Boston Red Sox.

2016: All-Star Game Starter

In 2016, Chris Sale was named the starting pitcher for the American League in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

2016: Uniform Incident and Suspension

In 2016, Chris Sale was suspended for five days after he destroyed throwback uniforms he felt interfered with his pitching mechanics.

2017: Season Performance and AL East Champions

In 2017, Chris Sale finished the season with a 17-8 record and led the MLB with 308 strikeouts, helping the Red Sox clinch the AL East division.

2017: All-Star Game Starter and Strikeout Achievements

In 2017, Chris Sale had a great season which included being named the American League's starting pitcher at the All-Star Game for the second consecutive season, recording his 1,500th career strikeout and reaching 300 strikeouts for the season.

2017: Strikeout Leader and Pitcher of the Year

In 2017, Chris Sale led the American League (AL) in strikeouts and was selected as the AL Sporting News Starting Pitcher of the Year.

2017: Trade to Red Sox

Prior to the 2017 season, Chris Sale was traded to the Boston Red Sox.

2018: World Series Victory

In 2018, Chris Sale was a key member of the Boston Red Sox pitching rotation, contributing to their World Series win.

2018: All-Star Selection

In 2018, Chris Sale was selected as an MLB All-Star, marking his seventh consecutive selection.

2018: Sale's Season: Opening Day Start, All-Star Selection, and Injury

In 2018, Chris Sale was the Opening Day starting pitcher for the Red Sox. During June, he was named the AL Pitcher of the Month. He was named to the 2018 MLB All-Star Game and the AL starting pitcher. He was placed on the disabled list in July due to left shoulder inflammation but was later activated. He was again placed on the 10-day disabled list in August and activated in September.

March 23, 2019: Sale Signs Extension with Red Sox

On March 23, 2019, Chris Sale signed a five-year, $145 million contract extension with the Red Sox.

2019: Practice Session Interruption

Chris Sale held a practice session after 2019 in the bullpen at Fenway Park.

2019: Bloom Comments on Injuries

In 2019, Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom commented that the Red Sox needed to find whoever had a "Chris Sale voodoo doll", referring to his list of injuries.

February 27, 2020: Sale to Miss Opening Day Due to Pneumonia

On February 27, 2020, Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke announced that Chris Sale would not be ready for Opening Day due to his progress in spring training being hampered by pneumonia.

2020: Contract Extension Coverage

In 2020, Chris Sale's contract extension with the Red Sox, signed in 2019, began coverage.

February 18, 2021: Sale Placed on 60-Day Injured List

On February 18, 2021, Chris Sale was placed on the 60-day injured list as he continued to recover from Tommy John surgery.

2021: Limited Innings

During the season of 2021, Sale pitched more than double the innings of the year prior.

2022: Limited Innings

During the season of 2022, Sale pitched more than double the innings of the year prior.

2022: Sale's Injury-Plagued Season

In 2022, Chris Sale sustained a right rib stress fracture in February, was placed on the 60-day injured list, made rehab appearances in July, and suffered a left fifth-finger fracture on July 17. He broke his right wrist in August, ending his season.