Red Sox pay Braves $17 million for Chris Sale this year. He costs Atlanta $500,000

January 2nd, 2024

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, in Washington. Chris Sale's injury-filled career with the Boston Red Sox ended Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023 when the 34-year-old left-hander was traded the Atlanta Braves for infielder Vaughn Grissom. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

The Boston Red Sox will pay the Braves $17 million in equal installments of $8.5 million on April 1 and July 1 as part of last weekend’s trade that sent left-hander Chris Sale to Atlanta.

Sale’s cost to Atlanta this year in effect will be $500,000. The 34-year-old has a $27.5 million salary, but that includes $10 million deferred until June 30, 2039.

Sale is entering the final guaranteed season of a $160 million, six-year contract he signed with the Red Sox.

Infielder Vaughn Grissom was sent to Boston as part of the trade announced Saturday.

Acquired by Boston from the Chicago White Sox in December 2016, Sale made nine trips to the disabled and injured lists with the Red Sox, mostly due to shoulder and elbow ailments. He had Tommy John surgery on March 30, 2020, and returned to a big league mound on Aug. 14, 2021.

He was 6-5 with a 4.30 ERA in 20 starts and 102 2/3 innings last season.

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