Boston Red Sox fans react as injured pitcher Chris Sale begins throwing again: "Building up to the next IL stint" "Get him healthy, sell him along"
Injured Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale has begun a throwing program as he begins to ramp up toward a future return to the team's rotation.
Sale landed on the 10-day injured list after being removed from a June 1 start against the Cincinnati Reds. The diagnosis was shoulder inflammation, and Sale was transferred to the 60-day IL on June 9.
Chris Sale started throwing again today. Got good MRI results and is back to building up pain-free. Quotes to follow.
The Boston Red Sox reported that Chris Sale is healing well and received positive news from an MRI conducted on Thursday.
Sale recovered from a poor start to the season. He was 5-2 with a 4.58 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 71 strikeouts over 59 innings in 11 starts before going down to injury
@ChrisCotillo Great! Just a few more weeks until he returns to the Red Sox then breaks down again. Wahoo! 🙄
@ChrisCotillo We migjt just get upwards of 8 innings out of him post-All Star Break!
@ChrisCotillo Until the next time, maybe after a couple of good starts to get people's attention and hopes up!!!
Chris Sale recovered from a difficult start to the season, and had been rounding into the form of old this year. He hadn't allowed more than three earned runs in a start since April 24. His ERA dropped from 8.22 to 4.58 over six starts, including the abbreviated appearance on June 1.
@ChrisCotillo Should be back mid July?
@ChrisCotillo Get him healthy. Mark him up. Sell him along.
@ChrisCotillo @JustinMLB Need two quality starts before the deadline to lure someone in. #DirtyWater
Chris Sale, who the Boston Red Sox acquired in a December 2016 trade with the Chicago White Sox, has been on the IL in each of the last five seasons. He missed all of the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Sale's injury woes have become a running joke in Boston. He made just nine starts in 2021 and only two in 2022.
@ChrisCotillo Close to being useful
Yes
Yesssssss
@ChrisCotillo Until he falls off of a bike again
@ChrisCotillo Building up to the next IL stint
Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters of Sale's season and most recent injury:
"In the beginning it was a little bit rough, but it was part of the progression. When he got going, it was very close to the guy that pitched in '17 and '18 here. Velocity was up, the slider was getting there and the changeup was a work in progress. And he dominated big league lineups."
But now, Boston fans are perpetually waiting for the next Sale injury.
@ChrisCotillo Bumps into coffee table at home, placed on 60 day
Chris Sale on Boston Red Sox's books through 2024
Sale is under contract through the 2024 season, which will be the last of a five-year, $145 million deal signed on March 23, 2019.
For his 13-year MLB career, Sale is 119-77 with a 3.08 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 2,135 strikeouts.