Chris Sale

Chris Sale made an immediate impact upon his MLB debut with the Chicago White Sox on August 6, 2010, becoming the first 2010 draft pick to reach the majors. Sale initially served as a reliever for the White Sox, securing four saves in his rookie year and eight saves in 2011. Transitioning to a starting pitcher in 2012, he established himself as a premier ace, earning seven consecutive All-Star selections (2012-2018). During his tenure with the White Sox, Sale set a franchise record with 274 strikeouts in 2015, leading the majors in strikeouts per nine innings (11.82), and was named the American League All-Star Game starter in 2016.

In December 2016, Sale was traded to the Boston Red Sox, immediately elevating their rotation. He was named the American League All-Star Game starter for three consecutive years (2016-2018) and became a pivotal contributor to the Red Sox’s 2018 World Series championship, closing out the final game. Demonstrating exceptional strikeout prowess, Sale recorded his 1,500th career strikeout in 2017, the fastest by innings pitched, and reached 300 strikeouts for the season that same year. In 2018, he achieved his 100th MLB career win.

Following his championship season, Sale signed a five-year, $145 million contract extension with the Red Sox in 2019. Also in 2019, he threw two immaculate innings and set a new career-high with 17 strikeouts in a single game. He then recorded his 2,000th career strikeout, again becoming the fastest pitcher to reach the milestone. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2020, Sale returned to pitch a third immaculate inning in 2021.

In 2025, Sale further cemented his legacy by becoming the fastest pitcher in MLB history to reach 2,500 career strikeouts, also making the All-Star Game roster.