Braves’ Chris Sale Sets MLB Record as Fastest to 2,500 Strikeouts in Win Over Phillies

Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale etched his name in baseball history Thursday night, becoming the fastest pitcher to reach 2,500 strikeouts in MLB history during a 9-3 rout of the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. At 36, Sale’s milestone came in just 2,026 innings, shattering Randy Johnson’s record of 2,107⅔ innings. His signature slider sent Phillies’ third baseman Edmundo Sosa swinging to close the sixth inning, sealing the historic moment.

Sale was electric, tossing six shutout innings, allowing only two hits and three walks while fanning eight batters. His performance powered the Braves to victory in the second game of a doubleheader split with the Phillies. The eight-time All-Star, who claimed his first Cy Young Award last season with a league-leading 225 strikeouts, now joins elite company—Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, and Max Scherzer—as the only active pitchers with 2,500 strikeouts.

From his early days with the Chicago White Sox to a World Series title with the Boston Red Sox in 2018, Sale’s journey has been one of resilience and dominance. Traded to the Braves before the 2024 season, he’s proving he’s still a force. As the Braves (26-29) gear up for a series against the Red Sox and the Phillies (36-20) face the Milwaukee Brewers, Sale’s milestone is a reminder of his enduring brilliance.