Braves pitcher Chris Sale learned before his final regular-season start that Don Cooper, his first MLB pitching coach, had died at 70. Sale called it “tough news” after striking out 10 in a 3-2, 10-inning win over the Cincinnati Reds and credited Cooper’s early guidance.
Cooper spent nearly two decades as the White Sox’s major-league pitching coach. He worked with Sale from his 2010 MLB debut, helping him move into a full-time starting role; Sale made five consecutive All-Star teams from 2012 through 2016.
