This isn’t only a refined adjustment; it is a full evolution in his technique. His slider, now his go-to pitch, has a putaway proportion of 28.7 p.c, the best amongst all his pitches and a key to his success this season.
It’s straightforward to miss Sale’s season in a league obsessive about velocity. He doesn’t have the 98 mph warmth that after made him feared, however he is proving that there is extra to pitching than pure velocity.
Sale is prospering by outsmarting hitters, crafting at-bats the place they’re pressured to respect his mastery of motion and placement. Now not in a position to disguise his slider as a misleading shock, Sale has tailored. Even with out the benefit of shock, his success speaks to his precision and understanding of hitters’ tendencies.
The Braves’ determination to tackle Sale’s contract wasn’t with out danger. Sale had struggled with accidents over the previous few seasons, and plenty of believed his finest years have been behind him.
However in a season the place Atlanta’s roster has been hit laborious — with Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuna Jr. each lacking vital time — the Braves wanted a gentle arm to anchor their rotation. Sale has stuffed that function to perfection.
Atlanta is at present tied with the Mets for the ultimate wild-card slot, and with out Sale’s contributions, it won’t even be within the hunt, given the pitcher is value 5.9 bWAR, which leads the majors.
Even Braves supervisor Brian Snitker has been amazed by Sale’s resurgence. “How he does what he does is wonderful to me,” Snitker instructed MLB.com’s Mark Bowman after Sale’s season-high 113-pitch effort.
What Sale’s success highlights is a bigger problem in how groups worth gamers at this time. As youthful gamers on team-friendly contracts rise by means of the ranks, older veterans typically see their worth decline merely due to their price ticket.
Sale, as an illustration, was traded as a part of a wage dump, a transfer that appeared extra about monetary flexibility than efficiency potential. But right here he’s, exhibiting that groups could also be prematurely overlooking the worth of expertise, particularly in key positions like beginning pitching.
It’s additionally a reminder that baseball is about extra than simply energy and velocity. Sale’s command, his means to reinvent himself mid-career and his management on a workforce combating for a playoff spot show that the veteran arm nonetheless has a spot in at this time’s recreation.
The Braves rolled the cube on Sale — and it’s wanting like the very best guess they’ve made all season.
