Arguably the most common statistic used to judge how good a pitcher is performing in a season is their earned run average.
Typically, anything in the 3’s is considered a good, earned run average.
When we start talking about pitchers in the 2’s of earned run average, we are talking about the elite pitchers of the league.
According to Baseball Reference on ‘X,’ Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale leads all of the National League in earned run average with a 2.35.
2024 NL ERA Leaders
Chris Sale (2.35)
Zack Wheeler (2.56)
Shota Imanaga (3.03)
Michael King (3.04)All Leaders: https://t.co/zcQYcEso1M pic.twitter.com/rdGPiwx5Cm
— Baseball Reference (@baseball_ref) September 19, 2024
Sale came over to the Braves from the Boston Red Sox this past offseason in exchange for infielder Vaughn Grissom.
After battling injuries for the majority of the last 4 seasons with the Red Sox, Sale has reemerged as one of the league’s most dominant pitchers.
His 2024 statistics include a record of 17 wins and 3 losses with a 2.35 earned run average with 219 strikeouts in 172.2 innings pitched.
The 2.35 earned run average that Sale possesses is the best in the National League and 1 of only 2 players who have earned run averages in the 2’s along with Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zach Wheeler.
Although Sale is having a dominant season on the mound, the Braves are currently outside of the playoff picture sitting 1.5 game back of the last National League wild-card spot.
Sale has never won a Cy Young award with his closest finish coming back in 2017 where he finished 2nd in the voting.
He has made a good case for himself in 2024 to win the Cy Young and will hope to propel his team to a hot finish and sneak into the 2024 playoffs.
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