Chris Sale, the National League Cy Young Award winner in 2024, showcased his dominance on Thursday with a stellar performance against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sale completed a 1-0 shutout, marking his first complete game since 2019 and helping the Braves sweep the series against the defending champions. His impressive effort highlighted his position among baseball’s elite alongside Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski.

Sale threw 97 pitches through eight innings before asserting his intention to complete the game, needing only 12 additional pitches to finish. His fastball reached speeds unseen since 2018, particularly challenging Shohei Ohtani, who struck out twice against him. Sale’s ERA stands at 2.06, second only to Misiorowski. His streak of allowing three runs or fewer now extends to 21 starts.

“You can make an argument that, as great a career as he’s having, he’s as good now as he’s ever been,” said Braves manager Walt Weiss.

Sale’s fastball last hit triple digits in July 2018 while with the Boston Red Sox. That season, the Red Sox secured the World Series, years before Sale underwent Tommy John surgery. Facing a formidable team like the Dodgers, Sale noted the importance of putting his best effort forward.

The game’s emotional weight added further depth as Sale managed a personal loss, dedicating his performance to family friend Ashley Foss, who recently passed away due to cancer. Foss’s family had close ties with Sale, managing his finances for several years.

Despite Sale’s standout showing, Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers also delivered a strong performance, pitching over six innings and conceding one run from Drake Baldwin’s homer.

The Braves will continue their home stand against the Rockies, while the Dodgers travel to Detroit for a series against the Tigers.