Atlanta’s Chris Sale pitches shutout against Dodgers, records 11 strikeouts

By Liam Tremblay — 28 August 2026 — 3 min read

Atlanta left-handed pitcher Chris Sale delivered a complete game shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers, securing a 1-0 victory and completing a three-game sweep. Sale struck out 11 batters and did not issue any walks, scattering five hits over nine innings. This performance marks his first shutout since 2019.

During the game, Sale reached 100 mph on his fastball for the first time since 2018, doing so twice against Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani. He threw 109 pitches, with 80 of them for strikes, and generated 20 swings and misses.

Sale’s Dominant Performance

The 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner’s outing was highlighted by Drake Baldwin’s leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning, which accounted for the game’s only run. Sale’s statistics for the game included five hits allowed, zero runs, zero walks, and 11 strikeouts.

Sale, at 37 years, 150 days old, joins a select group of pitchers who have thrown a shutout with double-digit strikeouts and no walks at that age or older. This group includes Cy Young, Eddie Plank, Steve Carlton, Nolan Ryan, and Randy Johnson, all of whom are in the Hall of Fame.

This season, Sale holds a record of 13-9 with a 2.06 ERA, accumulating 177 strikeouts and 28 walks in 144 innings. His recent starts include a 2-1 loss to Milwaukee and a 2-0 loss to Arizona.

Team Standings and Other MLB News

The Atlanta team now holds a five-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. They are also within one game of the Dodgers for the No. 2 seed in the NL playoffs, which includes a bye in the first round. The Milwaukee Brewers currently have the best record in the league at 83-51, while the Dodgers are 80-54.

In other league news, Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski limited the New York Mets to two hits and two runs over six innings in slippery conditions. Jackson Chourio contributed with two home runs in the Brewers’ 8-2 victory. Houston Astros slugger Christian Walker ended an 0-for-11 skid with three hits, including a home run off New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, leading the Astros to a 5-1 win. The Astros now have a one-game lead over the Texas Rangers in the AL West.

Kansas City Royals player Jac Caglianone had a career-best five-hit game, including a home run and six RBIs, in the Royals’ 13-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. The Royals have won 10 of their last 11 games. The Colorado Rockies recorded their 82nd loss of the season, marking their eighth consecutive losing season. St. Louis Cardinals rookie third baseman Blaze Jordan hit his first Busch Stadium home run in a 7-5 victory against the Baltimore Orioles but left the game in the eighth inning due to a knee injury.

The San Francisco Giants defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-1, with Drew Gilbert driving in the go-ahead run and hitting a home run. The Diamondbacks are now 1½ games behind the San Diego Padres for the final NL wild card spot. The Minnesota Twins are set to call up outfielder Walker Jenkins for his MLB debut against the Chicago White Sox. Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed starter Roki Sasaki was placed on the 15-day injured list with a blister on his right middle finger, and Seth Halvorsen was called up from Triple-A. The Tampa City Council approved funding for a $2.3 billion stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Source: pitcherlist.com