NL Cy Young winner Chris Sale throws 2 perfect innings for Atlanta in his spring debut

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Fresh off his first Cy Young Award, Chris Sale opened spring training with two perfect innings for the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.

Atlanta lost to the Minnesota Twins 3-1, but the 35-year-old Sale retired all six of his batters, although he did not strike anybody out.

Sale is entering his second year with the Braves. The left-hander went 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts last season, winning the National League's pitching Triple Crown and the Cy Young. He was healthy enough to make 29 starts, his most since 2017.

Sale threw 21 pitches and 14 strikes Saturday.

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