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Cy Young Award: Braves star pitcher Chris Sale named NL finalist

MLB: Toronto Blue Jays at Atlanta Braves Sep 8, 2024; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; tlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale (51) pitches the ball against Toronto Blue Jays during second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images (Jordan Godfree/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con)

ATLANTA — After his stellar first season in a Braves uniform, the Baseball Writers Association of America named Chris Sale as a finalist for the National League Cy Young Award.

Sale will compete against Smyrna native and Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler and Pirates rookie phenom Paul Skenes for the prestigious award.

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On the American League side, the finalists are the Guardians’ Emmanuel Clase, Royals’ Seth Lugo and the Tigers’ Tarik Skubal. The BWAA and Major League Baseball will announce the winners on Nov. 20.

Sale claimed the Triple Crown pitching title by leading the majors with 18 wins and a 2.38 ERA plus a NL-best 225 strikeouts. He also had a perfect fielding percentage during the 2024 season to win a Gold Glove.

If Sale wins, he would become the first Braves pitcher since Tom Glavine in 1998 to win the Cy Young.

Warren Spahn became the first Braves pitcher to win the award in 1957. Glavine won his other Cy Young with Atlanta in 1991. John Smoltz took home his only Cy Young Award in 1996.

Greg Maddux won four straight Cy Young trophies in the 1990s, including three with the Braves from 1993-1995.

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