Chris Sale has emerged as the most dominant pitcher in the National League since the All-Star break, posting an ERA of 1.76 and a WAR of 2.7 over seven starts that have yielded 46 innings, 60 strikeouts and just three walks.
A Historic Shutout Performance
His outing against the Dodgers featured a shutout with 11 strikeouts and no walks, marking one of only three such performances this season by pitchers including Sánchez, Misiorowski and Sale himself.
Statistically, Sale’s 0.88 FIP in the second half ranks second only to a handful of peers, and he has not surrendered a home run in eight consecutive appearances, a streak that outpaces any other non‑opener starter this year.
What sets Sale apart is his low release point and the extraordinary movement of his pitches, which deviate by more than two inches on eight axes, contributing to an 84th‑percentile whiff rate and an 80th‑percentile hard‑hit rate.
Coupled with elite command, high velocity and an unconventional delivery, his vertical release height sits among the lowest for pitchers with 1,000 innings, making him exceptionally difficult for batters to square up.
His HR/9 sits at 0.5 or lower for the second time in three seasons, joining an elite group of four pitchers since 2022, and his overall body of work aligns with the statistical benchmarks that have historically ushered Hall of Fame pitchers into the conversation.
Beyond the numbers, Sale’s 2018 Cy Young season culminated in a World Series ring, a redemption story that follows years of struggle in Chicago and Boston, underscoring his resilience and sustained excellence.