Sale's Mound Mastery: Hefner's Visit a Game Changer

Chris Sale made his third spring training appearance on Thursday, exhibiting notable improvement. The Atlanta Braves pitcher completed three innings, allowing only one run despite scattering five hits and a walk, while recording two strikeouts.

Sale highlighted a crucial mound visit from new pitching coach Jeremy Hefner as instrumental to his performance. He described the interaction as highly beneficial, emphasizing Hefner's wealth of experience as a former major league player and coach.

Sale expressed that Hefner's transition to the Braves was seamless due to his established background. He specifically praised Hefner's open-door policy, making players feel comfortable discussing any aspect of their game.

Hefner was hired in November to replace Rick Kranitz. His prior experience includes six seasons as pitching coach for the Mets, suggesting a solid foundation for his role with the Braves.