Chris Sale will be activated and start for the Red Sox this Saturday, according to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. This will mark the end of a long absence for Sale, who has been out of action for two whole years now.
In August of 2019, Sale began having elbow problems that forced him to miss the remainder of the season. Although Tommy John surgery was not recommended at the time, it would be eventually, and Sale underwent the procedure in March of 2020.
If he can quickly return to his previous form, or anything close to it, it will be a huge upgrade for a Red Sox team that has recently slid in the standings, surrendering the top spot in the AL East to the Rays. The lefty has been one of the best pitchers in baseball over the past decade. Since his 2010 debut, he has thrown 1629 2/3 innings, with a 3.03 ERA and excellent strikeout and walk rates of 30.7% and 5.7%.
In other Red Sox news, Alex Verdugo has gone on the paternity list and will be away from the team for a few days, per Bill Koch of the Providence Journal. MassLive’s Chris Cotillo adds that Connor Wong has been optioned, while Jarren Duran and JD Martinez have been activated from the COVID-IL. Both Duran and Martinez went on the IL in recent days because they weren’t feeling well. COVID testing must have come back negative, because a positive test would have resulted in a 10-day quarantine. Wong was only just recalled to help cover for their absence but didn’t get into any game action.
Maybe, just maybe Sale will spark the flame they had prior to the ASB.
Everyone that was mad about the trade deadline forgets that no one in baseball, especially in the American League, is getting a starting pitching addition on the level of Chris Sale.
Look, I’m a Sox fan and I’d love to endorse that statement, but Max Scherzer is several notches better than a Chris Sale who hasn’t pitched in two years. Berrios probably is, too.
thecroc – Slow your engines. Sale and Scherzer are comparable if they are in peak condition. We have no idea how soon we’ll be able to watch the old Chris Sale. Getting Scherzer SHOULD have been a priority. Just like Rizzo. Getting Under the CAP was a waste of Mookie. Fans were promised that going under would allow the team to go back over and build the new team they want. It didn’t happen. Just a bunch of lies.
Berrios is a nice pitcher but a big step down from Sale and Scherzer. His numbers put him at Tier 2 at best. I’d consider his 2021 performance worthy of spot between Sale and Houck or Eovaldi. He would have been a decent addition but the Red Sox need another Tier 1 SP to be prepared to make it through the playoffs.
Soxsam32 – NOBODY forgot about Sale they are all mad at Bloom for not adding to the Sale and Houck boost to the pitching. LAD was the only team that got a comparable boost.
Aren’t we all tired of that story? LAD getting something Boston should have had!!
Let’s GO !!!!!
Soo, this afternoon should be Garrett Richards last start?
*Oops, I just saw Tanner Houck was returned to the minors yesterday. Okay Sale takes Martin Perez’ slot in the rotation.
I have no idea why they won’t give Houck a longer leash, I’d so much rather watch him pitch than either Richards or Pérez.
They sent Houck down about 10 days ago. If you are sent down you have to spend 15 days in the minors unless you are recalled as an injury replacement (Aurauz). So Houck was able to be recalled as the 27th man for yesterday’s DH but had to return to Worcester’s roster for 5 more days. He’s not going to pitch and with the off day tomorrow they are good until Friday when he’ll be eligible to be recalled and mostly likely start against the Orioles.
Excellent, thank you Joe. That makes sense now.
Hopefully, with Sale back, Rodriguez maybe figuring it out, Eovaldi, Houck and Pivetta, we can scrape together a passable starting 5.
The JD Martinez link is the wrong one.
Noticed under top stories on the site:
“Yankees Activate Luke Voit, Place Anthony Rizzo On COVID-IL”
No mention of Chris Sale in that column so I guess Red Sox activating Chris Sale is meh…
I give Sale two starts before he gets injured again or cuts up uniforms before the game.
Being a Yankee fan, you do know all about injuries, some would say a ridiculous amount.
Unfortunately yes. The American Idle Carl Pavano, Aaron Hicks, Ellsburied, Voit. It’s scary how brittle many of today’s athletes have become.
NYY17 2 – You better hope for a Sale injury because if healthy he blows away the over-priced COLE. Unfortunately, COLE can’t pitch any more because no sticky stuff to aid his fastball.
You do realize Sale actually throws as well as he does without assistance? What a novel approach. Just pitch the ball and stop trying to get an advantage other than your pure ability.
Also, what a weird reference to him cutting up the jerseys that were so incredibly uncomfortable to pitch in. I’m guessing you never pitched.
Unless Sale throws two consecutive perfect games, the Nation will be disappointed. He’ll help (at this point, couldn’t hurt), but awaiting his return as the Second Coming is a bit optimistic.
As long as Sale puts up a sub-4.50 ERA it will be a welcome relief from what Perez-ERod-Richards has been providing.
Bob – hoping for an intelligent comment from you is a bit optimistic
NONAME – Did you set up an new ID because you got banned for being a jackass? Makes perfect sense.
Bob – You are right expectations are going to be huge. For me, I want to see how much command he has regained. His stuff will speak for itself. Also, I hope Cora stays away from him and just lets him pitch. Pitchers hate when no nothing managers try to explain how to pitch to them.
The Red Sox are doing just enough to lose. Yesterday, nobody can score, today runs everywhere. It doesn’t matter, they’re in a funk. They’re losing, losing, losing.
There had better be a turn around and quick or the season is over. Get Sale a start, but if they can’t turn it around, let him have a few starts and wait until next year.
Cora and Boone both did weird things today. Boone takes Torres out when he’s the only yankee hitting the ball. Cora pinch hits for Dalbec with Marwin? Really?
Rays and Jays are taking over the division unless there’s some serious changes in momentum.
whyhayzee – Spot on comments. Boone and Cora are baboons that don’t belong in the managerial position. In game antics cost both teams a dozen or more games a year.
Fans may need to hang on to hope but it was just cruel how Boston over-performed and got everyone’s hopes up and then reality set in. Reminds me of the old days when the Red Sox broke your heart every year. Reasonable expectations need to be set. They have the fourth most talent in the division because of transactions that have happened under Bloom’s watch. I don’t care if he or ownership or both should be blamed, I just care that new talent needs to be acquired soon.
The good news is that the collapse should have happened a month earlier in June when they had a tough schedule but the Yankees floundered so badly in June that Red Sox fans coasted an extra month thinking they had a chance. July was a brutal month and they did better than expected until the all-star game. After the break, they are the team most people expected in April.
At the end of June the road record was 24-14. That was unsustainable. In July they went 6-7 which brought the overall road record to 30=21 which was still quite high compared to their norm. In August their road record is 2-6 and 3 games were against DET! So now, with the road record at 27-21 they are approaching reality on the road. Their home record is 33-22 but has hovered around .500 most of the season until the back to back home sweeps of NYY and KC. That boosted their home performance in ways most folks would not have guessed.
August is a much easier month than the last two. After 8 games (2-6 record) the Red Sox play only 8 of 20 remaining games against NYY and TB. They have 12 games against BAL, TX, CLE and MIN (3 games each). They need 9 of 12 or 2 out of 3 in each series to stay in the hunt for a wildcard spot going into September. If they can go 4-4 against the two division rivals that will be a morale victory at this point and keep a glimmer of hope for the fans with high expectations.
Rays and Jays make sense but Rizzo has had an excellent impact to the behavior of the Yankees. The COVID IL for RIzzo may take the wind out of their sails but if he comes back and they look like they did this past week, there is likely going to be 3 AL East teams in the playoffs and Boston will not be one of them.
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