The MLB trade deadline is coming up quickly, and there are quite a few rumors beginning to swirl. Chris Sale is seeing his name mentioned in those rumors quite often and there is growing belief that he could end up elsewhere. Many teams have called the Chicago White Sox checking on his availability, although the asking price is very high.
According to a report from David O’Brien of AJC.com , the Atlanta Braves are one of the teams interested in acquiring Sale . He mentioned that the Braves have been interested in Sale for several years.
#Braves have been interested in Chris Sale for several years, and yes, there have been at least preliminary discussions.
— David O’Brien (@DOBrienATL) July 23, 2016
In addition to O’Brien, Chris Cotillo of SBNation also reported that the Braves were interested in Sale.
Source: Braves would have interest in making a run at Chris Sale, depending on ask price. Unclear if talks have occurred.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) July 23, 2016
Sale has compiled a 14-3 record to go along with a 3.18 ERA and 4.45 K/BB ratio. There has been some tension between Sale and the White Sox, especially with his name being mentioned in all the rumors. Chicago may end up moving him simply to get rid of the drama that has been going on.
At 27 years old, Sale would be a franchise caliber player for the Braves. They are searching for a player that they can build around and this could be their man.
Atlanta is a bit of a surprising team to come out of the woodwork with interest in Sale. Coming into Saturday evening action, the Braves were just 33-64 on the season and already out of playoff contention. They are definitely sellers and could end up making a couple big moves if teams offer the right price.
Outside of the Braves there are plenty of teams who would like to acquire an ace starting pitcher like Sale. Boston has been rumored to be interested in the White Sox pitcher, and there will be a lot more teams that line up with more interest assuming the White Sox begin shopping him in the near future.
There is no telling what Chicago will be asking for in return for Sale. He won’t be cheap, that is a fact. Acquiring one of the best starting pitchers in baseball is never cheap.
Looking at the contract side of things, Sale has three more years left on his deal before reaching free agency. Atlanta would be able to aggressively rebuild in that time period and get back to being a threat in the NL East.
It will be interesting to see whether the White Sox end up trading him ahead of the deadline. He could be a huge part of their future, or they could trade him and get a lot of top talent. Due to the drama that the two parties are having, it seems more likely that the two sides will part ways.
Needless to say, all of this drama has set the stage for what could be a very entertaining MLB trade deadline.
While Sale is one of the biggest names available via trade, there are plenty of other big names that could be switching teams as well. This is one of the more exciting times of the year for baseball times and it will not disappoint this season.
Expect to see the Braves make a serious push to acquire Sale from the White Sox. There is no telling what Chicago likes on Atlanta’s roster or in their farm system, but the two sides could likely come to an agreement on a deal. Sale would be a franchise changer for the Braves to say the least.
Do you think the Atlanta Braves would be a good landing spot for Chris Sale at the deadline? What other teams do you think should aggressively pursue a trade for the star pitcher? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!
[AP Photo/Ted S. Warren]
