In one of the easiest option decisions in baseball, the Red Sox announced today that they have picked up their option over lefty Chris Sale for the 2019 season.
His contract originally called for a $13.5MM salary for the upcoming campaign, with a $1MM buyout. Owing to his prior Cy Young placement, though, it was boosted to a $15MM final value. When the deal wraps up after the 2019 campaign, Sale will have earned a total of $58MM over a seven-year term.
Acquired from the White Sox before the start of the 2017 season, the 29-year-old Sale has continued to excel since swapping his pale hose for crimson stockings. He has thrown 372 1/3 regular-season innings of 2.56 ERA ball thus far in Boston.
If there are any questions, they relate not to the quality of Sale’s work on the mound, but his ability to stay there. It would be unfair to make too much of five-start absence in 2018, as he has mostly been an exceptionally durable pitcher, but the shoulder woes that cropped up this year certainly represent something to watch moving forward. Hopefully, an offseason of rest will allow Sale to enter Spring Training at full speed.
Shocker
I don’t think it was such a no brainer. Ok that obviously is me trolling lol but with his second half performance each of the past two years, not to mention his mixed playoff results at best, what has he done to merit a long term contract?
I’m not saying they shouldn’t have picked it up, but if he were a free agent he may have opted for a 1 year pillow deal with a player option any how.
He could potentially increase or decrease the value of his next contract by $100,000,000+ with next year’s performance. He better hope it’s the first one that he’s healthy and pitching deep into games wire to wire, not just in meaningless games in May against the orioles
I know this might seem bizarre but why not consider as if the season starts 06/01? If it weren’t his contract year, consideration might be given. As was stated above by JB1 however, there is just too much $$ at stake for Sale to agree. Maybe they’ll get creative like they did with Lackey and get this done.
I would love to see them have him start in late June, early July. Imagine if he was pitching in September and October like he normally does then…
How many summers did Clemens do that?
It is absolutely ridiculous IMO to think that if Chris Sale were a free agent that he would be may seek a 1 year contract. Look at his numbers. I know the critiques about his late season slumps and post season performance but look at the numbers overall. He would be looking at a ridiculously huge contract, would be silly for a pitcher to forgo hundreds of millions of dollars and risk having to have TJS by accepting a pillow contract
Sale would beat Price numbers in FA
The real issue with Sale like so many other great pitchers. Is his frame. Skinny guys no matter how good they are early in their career never seem to come close to the 300 win totals they seemed destined for. Sox should seriously consider dangling him out in the trade market to get a sense of his worth.
In other news, water is wet
Fire is burned
He’s better than Clayton Kershaw and should be getting paid more too
As long as he stays healthy, he will get paid more next year
Only hope he doesn’t go that way and will settle for something along the deal that Price took (or little less) and stay in Boston.
LA fans may not admit it, but when did kershaw ever throw 99-100 and still have the wipeout slider like Sale has had the previous 2 seasons? Not since he has been throwing after the DL trip of course, but since coming over to Boston.
Granted both have the wipeout slider, but only one was able to crank it up to triple digits.
Kershaw did win 3 Cy Young awards without a triple digit pitch, just saying.
He also pitches in the National League which has no DH. Kershaw’s ERA would be .50 more if he was in the American League
I really don’t think a lack of a DH is the reason why his ERA is that low.
He’s a year younger than Kershaw. CK has had a much better career than Sale, has merely had recent injuries. Maybe Sale has as many injuries and issues in his age 30 season as Kershaw did this year
“Swapping his pale hose from crimson stockings.” Jeff, please never leave xD
And obviously, glad to have our closer back 😉
I’m a fan of pale hose myself. I find overly tanned female specimen to be annoying.
Maybe the easiest call of the off season.
TyPiCaL bOsToN mOvE aLwAyS lOoKiNg To BuY a TiTlE
Nice use of the Spongebob meme.
youRe ONly on THis rant i bEt Is because you Don’t lIke Our Team!
Read just capital letters :0)
Great, you just broke ey :0(
sorrEY
i think you mean the jankees.
at least Sale never sliced up boston jerseys in the clubhouse.
imagine being twice as good as your peers and making half as much has to chap his a$$
He signed the contract
Why would they do that?