Sale wins first Gold Glove Award as part of stellar 2024 season

ATLANTA -- Chris Sale is now part of the long list of Braves pitchers who have won a Rawlings National League Gold Glove Award over the past half-century.

Sale earned his first career Gold Glove Award on Sunday night, extending Atlanta’s history of defensive success at the position. Twenty of the past 47 NL pitchers to receive this award have been members of the Braves.

This is one of the many regular-season honors that could be given to Sale, who is the favorite to win the Cy Young Award and the Comeback Player of the Year Award. The 35-year-old southpaw won the NL’s Triple Crown by leading the league in wins (18), ERA (2.38) and strikeouts (225) in 2024.

• All-time winners

Sale didn’t commit an error while producing a career-best four defensive runs saved, which ranked third among NL pitchers in the regular season.

Other Braves pitchers to win a Gold Glove have been Phil Niekro (five, 1978-80 and 1982-83), Greg Maddux (10, 1993-2002) Mike Hampton (one, 2003) and Max Fried (three, 2020-22).

• Most Gold Glove Awards at each position

Starters Zack Wheeler of the Phillies and Luis Severino of the Mets were the other two finalists for the NL Gold Glove Award.

First baseman Matt Olson was also a finalist for the honor, but he was bested by the D-backs’ Christian Walker, who has now won three straight Gold Gloves at first base.