<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/chris-sale" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chris Sale</a> is stepping into a leadership role for an Atlanta Braves organization already reeling from a massive blow to its 2026 lineup. Major League Baseball officially notified the Braves on Tuesday that outfielder Jurickson Profar has been hit with a 162-game suspension.



Faced with the stunning loss of the projected middle-of-the-order bat, Sale broke his silence Wednesday morning from the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/atlanta-braves" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Braves</a>‘ spring training facility. “It was tough when I found out about it,” Sale told reporters. “Obviously, for us at this time of the year, it’s a difficult setback. We were preparing for the season and getting the staff locked in to face it, so this is certainly not the news you want to hear.“



The Braves now face the daunting task of filling the void left by Profar, who had been a productive piece of the lineup last season and was slated to be the primary designated hitter for the 2026 campaign. Despite his performance on the field, the league showed no leniency for a repeat offender, leaving the front office scrambling just weeks before Opening Day.



“I think what’s really important for this clubhouse is to focus on the challenges ahead,” Sale remarked. “What happened has to be in the past for this franchise right now. We have to keep moving forward.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://media.bolavip.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/04161610/Jurickson-Profar-looks-on-1920x1080.webp" alt="Jurickson Profar possing" class="wp-image-591498"><figcaption>Jurickson Profar #17 of the Atlanta Braves poses for a photo.</figcaption></figure>



<h2>Sale emphasizes ‘Business as usual’ mentality post-suspension</h2>



With Profar’s status settled and an appeal process looming, Sale made it clear that the Braves’ focus remains on the roster currently in camp. The veteran left-hander also offered his perspective on how Profar handles the fallout of the year-long ban.


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“I’ll leave that to him; I’m not sure what his path looks like from here,” Sale said. “But like I said, this changes nothing for our goals. There are other things we need to focus on as we gear up for the season.“



As Opening Day looms on the horizon, Sale’s insistence on a “next man up” mentality underscores the urgency within the organization. While the Profar suspension represents a significant hurdle, the Braves appear determined to distance themselves from the distraction and maintain their status as a National League powerhouse.


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Braves’ Chris Sale breaks silence on Jurickson Profar’s stunning suspension

Braves’ Chris Sale breaks silence on Jurickson Profar’s stunning suspension - Bolavip US

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<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/chris-sale">Chris Sale</a> is one of those veteran pitchers entering the 2026 season knowing it could very well be the final year of his career. He has already expressed his desire to retire with the Atlanta Braves, the organization he has spent the last two seasons with and one he credits for helping revive his career.



Sale, who is in the final year of his contract with <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/atlanta-braves">Atlanta</a>, was clear about his intentions. “I would like to. I really like being here. These guys obviously gave me a shot and kind of picked me up off the ground,” the veteran told WSB-TV from the clubhouse.



It’s worth noting that over the past two seasons with the Braves, Sale has returned to elite form. He has put together back-to-back strong campaigns, earning multiple award nominations. In 2024, he recorded 18 wins in Atlanta, his highest single-season total since 2010.



<h2>Leaving Boston was difficult for Sale</h2>



After finishing the 2025 season with a 2.58 ERA for the Braves, it became clear that the struggles he endured with the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/boston-red-sox">Red Sox</a> were behind him. However, upon leaving Boston, the 36-year-old left-hander openly admitted he had not lived up to expectations with his former club, the same team with which he won the World Series in 2018.



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During a January 2024 Zoom call after being traded to Atlanta, Sale said his time in Boston was “nothing short of a disaster” following the signing of his five-year extension. “They obviously made a big commitment to me… and I didn’t hold up my end of the bargain.”


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On the Foul Territory podcast in January 2024, he added that while 2017 and 2018 marked the peak of his career, including closing out the 2018 World Series, the years that followed felt like a “gut punch,” largely because of the size of his contract while he was sidelined.

Not the Red Sox: Chris Sale makes clear which MLB team he wants to retire with

Not the Red Sox: Chris Sale makes clear which MLB team he wants to retire with - Bolavip US

When the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/mlb/mlb-2022-why-were-two-opening-day-games-moved-20220406-0019.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boston Red Sox</a> traded for <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/mlb/mlb-2022-top-5-projected-rotations-for-the-upcoming-regular-season-20220402-0023.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Sale</a> in 2017, they hoped they’d get an ace for years to come. The talent was there, the numbers were there, and even the durability had been there since he made his <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/mlb/mlb-2022-top-5-prospects-to-watch-this-season-20220405-0020.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Major League Baseball</a> debut in 2010.
Sale hit the ground running at Fenway Park, tying Pedro Martinez’s record for striking out 10+ in eight consecutive starts. It didn’t take long before he became a fan favorite among those in the Green Monster.
But Sale has been far from efficient over the past couple of years. Multiple major injuries have forced him to watch on street clothes and he’s been barely able to be <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/mlb/mlb-2022-top-10-pitchers-for-the-upcoming-regular-season-20220402-0022.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on the mound</a>. Now, he finally opened up about what it’s been like for him.
<h2>Chris Sale Apologizes To Red Sox Fans, Says He’s Only Given Them One Good Year</h2>
“This is three springs in a row I’m not even a baseball player,” Sale told Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. “I’m in a f****d up situation. There’s just no way around that. I’m hurt. And I’m supposed to not be hurt. I’m supposed to be a very big contributing factor to this team.”
“I’ve not done my job for some freakin’ time now,” Sale continued.“Think about it. I had one full year in ‘17. Good year. Three quarters of a year in ‘18, won the World Series — we’ll call that one a great year. In ‘19, had the worst year of my career, ended up getting hurt. In ‘20, COVID, Tommy John, and In ‘21, Tommy John, pitched for a quarter of the year and the playoffs. Serviceable at best, I’ll call that. And then now. So I’ve been here for six years, I’ve given these people one full f***ingyear. You kidding me? I wouldn’t like me, either.”
 
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Sale claims that he wasn’t in a great place mentally when he underwent surgery. Now, while he’s frustrated by missing even more time, he’s trying to take a ‘bigger-picture’ approach to be the best teammate he can be:
“(Negativity) crushed me through the Tommy John stuff,” Sale admitted. “That was bad. I was not in a good spot there. This is not close to that. But it’s still eerily the same feeling that I’m not pulling my weight. But, could be worse. I know that’s something that sounds like a copout from fans looking at me, but it’s the truth. That’s what I have to hold onto right now.”
“Because if I think that I’m in the worst position in the world, I’m going to get in that mindset, I’m going to be a bad teammate, I’m going to feel sorry for myself, I’m not going to get the work done, so on and so forth,” he concluded.
There’s no denying that Sale is one of the most dominant hurlers out there when he’s on the mound, so he’s definitely worth the patience. Hopefully, this will be the year he finally puts those injury woes behind him.

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Chris Sale says he's not even a baseball player right now

Chris Sale says he's not even a baseball player right now - Bolavip US

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