Atlanta exercised Sale's $18 million option for 2026 on Wednesday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

The decision was fait accompli, as Sale has re-emerged as one of the best pitchers in baseball since joining Atlanta, collecting a 2.46 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 390:71 K:BB over 303.1 innings since the beginning of the 2024 campaign. Sale missed more than two months of action this season with a left ribcage fracture, but he finished the year healthy and was superb after returning from the injury with a 2.72 ERA and 51:6 K:BB over his final 36.1 frames. The veteran lefty will turn 37 just after Opening Day next season.

Sale (7-5) allowed one run on four hits and two walks while striking out nine over 5.2 innings to earn the win over the Pirates on Sunday.

EDGE Analysis

Charlie Morton got his Atlanta curtain call with 1.1 scoreless innings to open the game before Sale took over. Sale was pitching with a lead the entire time, and the lone run he allowed was on a Joey Bart single in the sixth inning. Sale gave up just 11 runs over 36.1 innings across six appearances after returning from a fractured ribcage. For the season, the southpaw ended up with a 2.58 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 165:32 K:BB through 125.2 innings across 21 appearances (20 starts), showing that he can still pitch at an elite level at age 36. Atlanta has an $18 million team option to keep Sale around for the 2026 season if it so chooses.

Sale will be used as a bulk reliever in Sunday's game against the Pirates, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Atlanta will use Charlie Morton as an opener in his final career appearance before Sale takes over. It will be the first relief outing for Sale since he closed out the 2018 World Series as a member of the Red Sox. While it will be unconventional usage for the lefty, Sale will have a better chance to pick up a win as a bulk reliever, and he should be available for a typical starter's workload.

Sale (6-5) earned the win Monday, allowing five runs on three hits and two walks over five innings in a 11-5 win over Washington. He struck out six.

EDGE Analysis

Sale wasn't at his best Monday, giving up five runs for the first time since April 8. Despite missing time midseason with a fractured ribcage, the 36-year-old has generally been excellent when healthy, posting a 2.63 ERA and 1.07 WHIP across 20 starts and 120 innings. He's currently lined up to pitch Atlanta's season finale Sunday, though the team could decide Monday's outing was the lanky left-hander's last of 2025 and turn to another arm.

Sale came away with a no-decision in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Nationals, scattering three hits over eight scoreless innings. He struck out nine without walking a batter.

EDGE Analysis

The ace southpaw racked up 32 called or swinging strikes over 106 pitches (71 total strikes) in a dominant performance, but MacKenzie Gore and the Washington bullpen matched Sale goose egg for goose egg, until Atlanta finally broke through for five runs in the 10th inning. Sale has fanned exactly nine batters in four straight starts since returning from a rib injury, posting a 1.75 ERA, 0.74 WHIP and 36:2 K:BB through 25.2 innings. He'll look to finish out the season in style with a potential two-step, beginning early next week with a home rematch against the Nats.

Sale (5-5) was charged with the loss Wednesday against the Cubs, allowing three runs on seven hits and one walk in five innings. He struck out nine.

EDGE Analysis

Sale continues to rack up the strikeouts, as he's now fanned nine in three consecutive outings since coming off the injured list. The three runs allowed were his most since his April 13 start in Tampa Bay, but the All-Star southpaw has registered at least seven punchouts in 11 of his last 12 appearances dating back to the end of April. On the year, he has a stellar 2.52 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 141:28 K:BB across 107 frames. Sale is next slated to face the division-rival Nationals, who have a paltry .574 OPS against left-handed pitching since the All-Star break.

Sale didn't factor into the decision against the Mariners on Friday, allowing one run on four hits while striking out nine over 6.2 innings. He did not issue a walk.

EDGE Analysis

Sale was sharp Friday, recording his second straight quality start since returning from a two-month absence. The southpaw's only trouble came in the third inning, when he allowed a double and hit Randy Arozarena with a pitch to put two runners on for the MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh, but Sale escaped unscathed as Raleigh popped out. From there, Sale settled in and cruised until the seventh, when he was pulled shortly after giving up a base hit that would come around to score. The performance continued the 36-year-old's strong return, as he's now looked dominant in both outings back in Atlanta's rotation.

Sale did not factor into the decision in Saturday's 3-2 extra-inning loss to the Phillies, allowing one run on three hits and one walk with nine strikeouts over six innings.

EDGE Analysis

Sale needed just 78 pitches to log a quality start in his first outing in over two months, with a solo homer in the third inning being his only mistake. The veteran southpaw generated 15 swinging strikes and has now yielded two earned runs or fewer in 12 straight contests dating back to April 19. He'll take a 2.45 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 123:27 K:BB across 95.1 innings into a home matchup with the Mariners next weekend.

Atlanta reinstated Sale (ribs) from the 60-day injured list ahead of his start Saturday against the Phillies.

EDGE Analysis

Sale made three rehab starts after landing on the injured list in late June with a fractured ribcage, posting a 2.53 ERA and 1.22 WHIP alongside an 11:3 K:BB through 10.2 innings at Triple-A Gwinnett. Now fully healthy, he'll be welcomed back to MLB action by the Phillies, against whom he tossed six shutout innings when he last faced them in late May. The veteran lefty reached just 77 pitches in his final rehab outing, however, so there's a chance Atlanta will limit his workload during his first start back from the IL. Nathan Wiles was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move.

Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said Sale (ribcage) will likely be activated from the 60-day injured list to start Saturday's game in Philadelphia, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

With Sale checking out well physically following his third and final rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Gwinnett, he'll be on track to rejoin the Atlanta rotation one week later for what will be his first start with the big club since June 18. Before suffering a left ribcage fracture in his start against the Mets that day, Sale had delivered an impressive encore to his Cy Young-winning season in 2024, turning in a 2.52 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 114:26 K:BB in 89.1 innings with Atlanta. The veteran lefty tossed 77 pitches in his final outing with Gwinnett and could have his workload monitored carefully Saturday, but fantasy managers will likely still want to activate Sale this week as he rejoins the big club.