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Generally, when players are upset with themselves, they take out their frustrations on something else. Not Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale.
During the fourth inning of the Braves’ 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night at Angel Stadium, Sale hit the ball with his head in anger.
Sale, 37, threw a slider well outside the strike zone to Angels first baseman Jeimer Candelario to walk the bases loaded with no out while the game was tied 1-1. Braves catcher Drake Baldwin threw the ball to Sale, who caught it with his bare hand instead of his glove, dropped the ball, picked it up and slammed it against his head.
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Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale reacts after hitting Los Angeles Angels third baseman Yoan Moncada with a pitch in the fourth inning at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, on April 6, 2026. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images)
Sale’s frustrations only grew as the inning grew longer. Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe walked one batter after Candelario, forcing in a run to give the Angels a 2-1 lead.
The Angels’ comeback continued two batters later, when Sale hit designated hitter Yoan Moncada with a pitch to force in another run, making the score 3-1. After hitting Moncada, Sale bent over and put his hands on his knees, before walking behind the pitcher’s mound to pick up the bag of pitch, only to stab it into the ground.
The nine-time All-Star pitcher’s nightmare of a fourth inning continued when he induced a weak grounder from center fielder Bryce Teodosio, but was placed perfectly between shortstop Mauricio Dubón and third baseman Austin Riley.
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Atlanta Braves starter Chris Sale pitches during the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, California, on April 6, 2026. (Caroline Brehman/AP Photo)
Dubón did well to dive to keep the ball in the infield, but scored another run, giving the Angels a 4-1 lead.
Sale escaped the fourth inning without further damage, but gave up a two-run homer in the fifth inning to Jo Adell, giving the Angels a 6-1 lead.
The two-time Cy Young winner was later removed from the game. Sale pitched four innings, allowing six runs on five hits, walking two and striking out seven.
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Atlanta Braves starter Chris Sale reacts after hitting Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Yoan Moncada with a pitch during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, California, on April 6, 2026. (Caroline Brehman/AP Photo)
Sale came into the game with a good record against the Angels. In 11 games he was 8-0 with a 1.24 ERA, but he wasn’t as successful on Monday.
In three starts this season, Sale is 2-1 with a 3.94 ERA in 16 innings pitched.
The Braves (6-5) will look to bounce back when they play the Angels (6-5) in the second game of their three-game series on Tuesday at 9:38 p.m. ET.
