Sale was dominant once again.
The Atlanta Braves took care of business on Sunday night, rolling to a 13-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians to clinch the series at Truist Park.
It was a dominant showing across the board, but the conversation afterward centered on the guy who took the mound first.
Chris Sale tossed six innings of one-run ball, scattering eight hits while striking out six and walking just one.
The only blemish was a solo homer from Rhys Hoskins in the sixth, but by that point the Braves had already built a cushion too big for Cleveland to touch.
Weiss Doesn't Hold Back
After the game, Braves manager Walt Weiss didn't mince words about what he's watching every fifth day.
"Hall of Famers are just different and that's what he is," Weiss said. "I think he ran it up to 99 tonight on a pitch, and he had some 98s. He's just a marvel really."
That level of praise from a first-year manager who played alongside some of the best in the game carries weight, and it lines up with everything Sale has shown so far this season.
He's now 3-1 with a 3.27 ERA through four starts, and the fact that he's still touching 99 mph at 37 years old tells you he's not slowing down anytime soon.
Sale bounced back strong after getting roughed up by the Angels in his previous outing, when he allowed six runs in four innings and saw his ERA spike to 3.94.
Sunday was a reminder that a bad start here or there doesn't define what he's capable of, and his ability to strand seven runners while holding Cleveland hitless in six at-bats with runners in scoring position showed the competitor he's always been.
Atlanta's Pitching Staff Is Leading the Way
Sale has been the anchor, but Atlanta's pitching success goes well beyond just one arm.
The Braves own a 2.25 team ERA that ranks first in all of baseball, which is wild when you consider the rotation has been hit hard by injuries. Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep are all on the shelf, and the team still finds ways to shut lineups down.
Reynaldo Lopez has been sharp early, and Martin Perez has quietly given the team solid innings since being called up.
Bryce Elder and the bullpen have done their part too, and the defense behind all of them has been clean enough to let the pitchers work with confidence.
Where Things Stand
At 10-6, the Braves sit atop the NL East and have yet to lose a series this season.
They take on the Miami Marlins starting Monday in a three-game set at Truist Park.
If the pitching keeps performing like this and Sale keeps doing what he does best, Atlanta looks like a team that's going to be a problem in the National League for a long time.