This MLB season has seen a high demand for starting pitchers, with Chris Sale emerging as one of the most valuable options available. The 36-year-old left-handed pitcher, who won the National League Cy Young award in 2024, continues to perform at an elite level. Despite his age and hefty contract, Sale ranks among the top pitchers statistically, making him a coveted asset on the trade market.

However, the Atlanta Braves are showing no indication of trading Sale, despite underwhelming team performance this year and Sale’s potential value as a mid-season trade piece. This firm stance from the team’s front office has not convinced many fans or analysts given the Braves’ current situation.

Alex Anthopoulos’s Strong Denial on Sale Trade Rumors

Braves President Alex Anthopoulos addressed the swirling rumors about Chris Sale in a recent radio appearance, delivering a forceful and definitive statement dismissing any possibility of trading him. Anthopoulos emphasized that, despite speculation, the Braves are not interested in selling Sale, especially with Sale’s club control extending beyond the current season.

“No, zero. I’ve seen the speculation. It’s completely ridiculous to me. We are not selling, especially someone that has club control beyond the current year,” he said. “Will not happen. I never make definitive statements unless I’m going to stick to them. Once you make definitive statements and then you go back on them, you’re a liar and you’re done. Will. Not. Happen. Bold, italicize it, caps. So much so that I’m trying to make a trade now — it’s very hard to make a trade in June — just to signal to everybody that we will not sell. (If) you get to the end of July and things are completely changed, I guess we would reevaluate, but you’d have to be extreme. We’re built to win. Our expectations are to win. Our expectations are to go for it the entire time.”

This unequivocal refusal suggests the Braves are committed to their current roster and have intentions to compete through the season’s end despite a disappointing start.

Team Performance and Trade Market Realities

While the Braves’ leadership is adamant about holding onto Sale, the team’s on-field results tell a different story. As of mid-June, the Braves sit six games below a .500 winning percentage, with their playoff chances having plummeted from a 93.4% preseason likelihood to roughly 38% today. They trail five and a half games behind the nearest Wild Card spot and are 11 games behind first place, with strong competition from the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets.

Meanwhile, Chris Sale’s individual numbers affirm his value: in 15 starts and nearly 90 innings pitched, he maintains an impressive 2.52 ERA and ranks within the top 10 in several advanced pitching metrics across the league. At $22 million this season and $18 million next, he forms one of the most expensive contracts on the team but also the most potent trade chip available should the Braves change course.

Adding complexity, the Braves’ farm system—traditionally a source of young talent—is currently ranked among the weaker in baseball, limiting their internal options for rebuilding or supplementing the roster.

Why the Denial Feels Unconvincing to Fans

The severity and certainty of Anthopoulos’s statements appear unusual given the context. Historically, front offices avoid making such categorical claims early in the season, especially in June when many teams still evaluate their playoff chances. The firm denial stands in contrast to past MLB trade situations where teams initially dismissed talks before eventually making deals.

The strong language has created skepticism, with many feeling that the Braves are merely trying to maintain leverage or calm fan concerns for now. As one insider noted, trade debates at this stage of the season are often posturing rather than genuine assertions of intent.

Given the Braves’ current negative trajectory and playoff outlook, it is plausible that by late July, if the standings have not improved, the front office might reconsider trading Sale to restock or retool their roster for future seasons.

Potential Consequences and Timing for a Trade

If the Braves continue to struggle and fall further out of contention, Chris Sale could become the centerpiece of a trade package, especially for teams like the Chicago Cubs, who prioritize adding reliable pitching. Cubs’ general manager Jed Hoyer has expressed an openness to early discussions about acquiring mid-rotation pitchers such as Sale to assess availability and plan accordingly.

“Want to be in a position to add”

—Alex Anthopoulos, Braves GM

While Anthopoulos categorically insists that a Sale trade “will not happen,” the evolving team dynamics and performance could force a reassessment before the July 31 trade deadline. Fans and analysts watch closely, prepared for any shift in stance should the Braves’ fortunes not improve.

The Broader Implications of the Braves’ Stance

This public denial marks a tension between the Braves’ ambitions to compete immediately and the realities of their current position in the standings. Holding onto Sale signals faith in the team’s ability to bounce back, but it also risks missing an opportunity to maximize value for a declining asset on a team with less promising depth.

The forthcoming weeks will determine whether the Braves maintain their course or pivot toward rebuilding, with Chris Sale’s fate at the center of that decision. Until then, the strong public stance from Alex Anthopoulos remains, but for many observers, the Sale trade rumors will persist.