Braves’ Updated Rotation, Payroll After Reported Chris Sale Trade with Red Sox

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The Atlanta Braves added to their rotation on Saturday by acquiring seven-time All-Star and 2018 World Series champion Chris Sale from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for infielder Vaughn Grissom.

Adding Sale and ditching Grissom changes Atlanta’s payroll and rotation quite a bit, so here’s a look at the updated rotation and salary.

Braves’ 2024 Projected Payroll

The oft-injured Sale boasts a salary worth $27.5 million in 2024 and he also has a club option worth $20 million for 2025. However, the Red Sox will reportedly be picking up $17 million of Sale’s 2024 salary as part of Saturday’s deal, according to the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Atlanta’s updated estimated payroll for 2024 is worth $230.1 million, according to Spotrac.

Since helping the Red Sox win a World Series in 2018, Sale has largely been a disappointment in Boston, mainly due to injuries.

The 34-year-old hasn’t started more than 27 games in a season since 2017 and was limited to 20 starts in 2023 after missing most of the 2021 and 2022 campaigns due to injuries.

Sale went 6-5 last season with a 4.30 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 125 strikeouts across 102.2 innings.

Considering Sale figures to be a depth starter for the Braves behind the likes of Fried, Morton and Strider, he could prove to be a solid piece for the franchise, even if he isn’t the same All-Star caliber player he once was.