Former Red Sox Ace Won’t Be Traded, GM Says: ‘Completely Ridiculous’

Sorry, folks. Nothing to see here. That’s what Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said Wednesday, when asked about rumors that he will trade former Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale before the July 31 deadline.

The underperforming Braves (33-39) are in third place in the National League East, leading to speculation Atlanta could go into sell-mode and trade Sale to the highest bidder. But Anthopoulos said he has “zero” interest in moving the southpaw.

“It’s completely ridiculous to me. We are not selling, especially someone that has club control beyond the current year,” Anthopoulos said on 680 The Fan radio in Atlanta, Ga.

“Will not happen. I never make definitive statements unless I’m going to stick to them. Once you make definitive statements and then go back on them, you’re a liar and you’re done. Will. Not. Happen. Bold, italicize it, caps.”

“We’re built to win,” Anthopoulos continued. “Our expectations are to win. Our expectations are to go for it the entire time.”

However Anthonopoulos did leave himself some wiggle room. “(If) you get to the end of July, and things are completely changed, I guess we would reevaluate, but you’d have to be extreme,” the GM said.

Sale improved to 5-4 this season with a 2.52 ERA after dominating the New York Mets Wednesday in Atlanta’s 5-0 win. The 36-year-old southpaw went 8 2/3 innings, striking out seven.

Just how overpowering is Sale right now? He’s given up just four runs in his last 41 2/3 innings, according to the Associated Press. That’s good for an incredible 0.86 ERA over his last six starts.

Among those impressed with Sale’s mound work of late is the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, who posted Wednesday on X, “Chris Sale is a Hall of Famer. Don’t @ me.”

Sale is the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner after claiming the pitching Triple Crown in 2024. He led the league in wins (18), ERA (2.38) and strikeouts (225).