Cy Young Award winner to pitch for Columbus Clingstones in home game
When the Columbus Council approved last year a $50 million renovation of the city’s baseball stadium, formerly named Golden Park and now Synovus Park, this is the type of event the project’s leaders envisioned:
An environment of high enough quality to convince the Atlanta Braves to not only move their Class AA afilliate from Mississippi to the Chattahoochee Valley — and make Columbus the home of a minor league baseball team for the first time in 17 years — but also to allow their major leaguers to play here while working their way back from the injured list.
Lo and behold, that moment has come in the Columbus Clingstones’ debut season.
The Clingstones and Braves announced Tuesday left-handed pitcher Chris Sale is scheduled to make a rehab start in Columbus on Saturday in a 6:05 p.m. game against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos at Synovus Park.
Sale, the 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner, is on the Braves’ 60-day injured list as he recovers from a fractured left ribcage. His start in Columbus will be his third rehab appearance, following two outings with Class AAA Gwinnett last week.
The 36-year-old Sale will be the first Atlanta Brave to join Columbus on a rehab assignment in club history. Through 15 starts with Atlanta this season, the 2025 National League All-Star has a 5-4 record with a 2.52 ERA in 89.1 innings.
Sale made his Atlanta debut in 2024 and went on to become the eighth Cy Young Award winner in franchise history, finishing the season 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA and a .216 opponent batting average across 29 starts. He lea the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts (225), and also earned a Rawlings Gold Glove Award and NL Comeback Player of the Year honors.
Across 15 Major League seasons with the Chicago White Sox (2010–16), Boston Red Sox (2017–19, 2021–23), and Atlanta Braves (2024–25), Sale has compiled a 143–87 career record with a 3.02 ERA, .220 opponent batting average, and 12 saves over 387 appearances (307 starts). A nine-time MLB All-Star, Sale also was a member of Boston’s 2018 World Series championship team.
Tickets for Saturday’s 6:05 p.m. game at Synovus Park can be purchased at Clingstones.com. The first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a collectible bobblehead of the Clingstones’ mascot, Fuzzy. The team also will wear specialty jerseys for Gold Glove Charities Night, with proceeds from a silent jersey auction benefiting the nonprofit’s mission. Fans can listen to the game on SportsVisions 92.1 FM or watch the game on Bally Sports Live and MiLB.TV.
This story was originally published August 19, 2025 at 8:12 PM.
