Braves GM makes Chris Sale stance clear as MLB trade deadline looms

For any fellow executives salivating while watching Chris Sale carve up the Mets on Wednesday night, Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said to slow their roll.

“Zero (chance),” Anthopoulos said on 680 “The Fan” before Wednesday’s 5-0 win. “I’ve seen the speculation and that’s why — it’s completely ridiculous to me. We’re not selling, especially someone that has club control beyond the current year. Will not happen.

“I never make definitive statements unless I’m going to stick to them. Because once you make definitive statements and then you go back on them, you’re a liar and you’re done. Will. Not. Happen. Bold, italicize it, caps. So much so, that I’m trying to make a trade now in June just to signal to everybody, ‘Hey, we will not sell.”

Chris Sale dominated the Mets on Tuesday. Getty Images

There has been speculation about whether the underwhelming Braves will be sellers at this year’s trade deadline due to their 33-39 start that has them 11 games out in the NL East.

Sale, the reigning NL Cy Young winner, would be the team’s most desirable piece — assuming Ronald Acuna Jr. is off limits — due to his standout performance and team-friendly contract.

The lefty is making $22 million this year and the Braves hold an $18 million team option for next year.

Sale owns a 2.52 ERA after throwing 8 2/3 scoreless innings against the Mets on Wednesday and has a 1.41 mark spanning his last 11 games after starting the year with a 6.63 ERA through four starts.

Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos earlier this year. MLB Photos via Getty Images

Any contender could envision adding Sale to the top of their rotation for October, but the Braves are not yet ceding in the postseason race.

They entered Thursday 5 1/2 games out of the third and final wild card spot.

Atlanta has four more games on tap against the Mets over the next week, along with sets against the Phillies and Cardinals before the All-Star break.

“We’re not selling,” Anthopoulos said on the show. “A month from now, we end up 30 games under or something crazy, I guess I would reconsider.

“We’ve got a talented club. It hasn’t shown itself, clearly. These next two weeks leading into the All-Star break … are really important us. There’s definitely a sense of urgency, there has been, but even more so now.”