LA CROSSE, WI – 2008 La Crosse Logger pitcher Chris Sale has joined fellow hurler Max Scherzer as the second Logger alum to secure a Cy Young Award as the 35-year old Sale was named the National League Cy Young award winner on Wednesday night. Sale received 26 of the 30 first-place votes cast by select members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
Sale also won the NL Triple Crown after leading the league in wins (18), ERA (2.38) and strikeouts (225). He was the first NL pitcher to lead in each of these categories during a 162-game season since Clayton Kershaw in 2011. His incredible 2024 season has also included being named the NL Comeback Player of the Year and winning a Gold Glove for the first time in his illustrious career.
This was not Sale’s first run at a Cy Young award as he finished among the top six in American League Cy Young balloting for seven straight seasons (2012-18). The 8-time All-Star, World Series Champion and three-time single season strikeout leader has now supplanted himself as one of the best to do it during his 14 big league seasons (2010-present).
The Florida native was the top pitcher on the 2008 La Crosse Loggers club, after spending his freshman season at Florida Gulf Coast. He was named a 2008 Northwoods League all-star after striking out 74 batters in 53 innings that summer and has often noted that the tweak he made in dropping his arm slot that summer was a key to his future and current success. Sale went on to become a first round selection of the Chicago White Sox in 2010 and became one of five players in the history of MLB to be called up to the Big Leagues later that year making his debut on August 6, 2010.
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The La Crosse Loggers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now in its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 26 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, 360 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com and on ESPN+. For more information, visit www.lacrosseloggers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Loggers as your favorite team.