Chris Sale, the reigning Cy Young Award winner of the National League, recently faced another lackluster performance in a game against the Atlanta Braves as they suffered a loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. He allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks in just 4 ⅓ innings, resulting in an 8-3 defeat, marking the Braves’ dismal record of 4-11.

Sale has been a significant contributing factor to this poor start, having given up 14 runs on 25 hits across 19 innings, with an average Game Score of only 43 from his first four games. Last season, he registered just one game out of 29 where his Game Score fell below 43, leaving him frustrated: “I don’t know if I’ve ever been this frustrated, honestly. I feel like I’m banging my [freaking] head against the wall right now, and I’m getting nothing out of it.”

Although this stretch is concerning, deep analysis shows reasons for hope regarding Sale’s performance.