Chris Sale will be the ace for the Braves in 2026.
Major League Baseball is implementing the automated ball-strike system in 2026, and its effectiveness is certainly going to be one of the biggest stories in baseball throughout the season. It’s already been tested in the minors and seems to be a success down there, and players in MLB will finally get to show the umpires how much they also have strong judgment and feel for what the strike zone is.
Each team will be given two challenges per nine innings, so each team’s strategy will be different in how they use them. Because the Atlanta Braves Spring Training has opened, players like Chris Sale have been able to speak to the media about the latest changes in the sport.
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Chris Sale Won’t Challenge Pitches in MLB’s ABS System
Chris Sale said earlier this week he will never challenge a pitch via MLB’s new challenge system for balls and strikes, stating he’s missed pitches his entire career, and respects the judgment of MLB umpires.
He also noted he will leave it to whoever the catcher is if they want to challenge a pitch. The ABS system is going to be one of the more fascinating developments in MLB throughout the season because there aren’t many pitchers like Sale who can consistently paint the strike zone whenever they want. That will create a power dynamic in which starters are freely able to challenge pitches.
Anthony Castrovinze of MLB.com outlined well what will happen when someone argues their respective case:
“The ABS Challenge System monitors the exact location of each pitch, relative to the specific batter’s zone. Players can request a challenge of a ball or strike call they feel the umpire got wrong, and, when they do, a graphic displaying the result is then transmitted over a 5G network from T-Mobile’s Advanced Network Solutions and nearly instantaneously shown to those in attendance via the videoboard and to home viewers via the broadcast.”
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Chris Sale Wants to Retire As A Braves
In that same media session with Chris Sale saying he won’t be a participant of MLB’s ABS, he also iterated he’d like to retire a Brave due to Atlanta “picking him up” off the ground.
Since Sale joined the Braves, has posted strong, resurgent numbers. In his CY Young 2024 season, Sale boasted a league-best 2.38 ERA in 177.2 innings with 225 strikeouts. He backed that up with 125.2 innings in 2025 and an ERA of 2.58. He spent a lengthy amount of time on the IL for an injury he suffered diving off the mound.
The Braves, despite injuries, will have a good chance if Chris Sale is at his peak form.
Sale is the Braves’ clear top starter, and after him, Atlanta will run out Spencer Strider, Reynaldo Lopez, Grant Holmes, and someone to be decided.
MLB’s X account projected the Braves’ Opening Day lineup this week. Sale is a nine-time All-Star with seven top-five CY Young finishes and won the pitching triple crown in 2024.
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