ATLANTA – Chris Sale took another step toward one of the top 25 strikeout totals in MLB history in the second inning against the Phillies on Sunday afternoon at Truist Park.
Sale needed just three strikeouts to pass Chuck Finley for sole possession of 28th place on the all-time list, and he reached that with a second-inning strikeout of Adolis García. He also moved into seventh place in career strikeouts for left-handed pitchers. The 37-year-old passed Tom Glavine for 29th place with 2,608 strikeouts in his last start.
He is looking to duplicate the success he had on April 18, when he struck out seven and held the Phillies to one run over a season-high seven innings. Coming off that 101-pitch effort, he entered Sunday’s start with three extra days of rest.
Sale has allowed one run or fewer in four of his first five starts. He has a 2.79 ERA in the five starts he’s made against the Phillies since the start of the 2024 season.
