Boston Red Sox Holding Breath After Latest Injury to Chris Sale
The Boston Red Sox are holding their breath on Thursday night after seeing starting pitcher Chris Sale exit with an injury.
Sale departed in the top of the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds with what has been described as "left shoulder soreness."
This is horrible news on multiple fronts:
1) First, for Sale, he can't afford any more injuries. He missed all of 2020 and most of 2021 with Tommy John surgery, and then missed nearly all of 2022 with illness, getting hit by a line drive and breaking his wrist while falling off a bike. He's worked extremely hard to come back and he was visibly frustrated when he walked off the mound.
2) Second, the Red Sox can't afford to see him have to miss time. The Sox entered Thursday's game at 28-27 and in last place in the American League East, so they need as many useful pieces available as possible. Furthermore, Sale has been quite good recently. He had lowered his ERA to 4.58 before departing.
In this game, he had six strikeouts in 3.2 innings.
Things started to get worrisome when a trainer came out to Sale in the fourth inning. His velocity had dipped from above 96 mph to as low as 91-92 mph, per reports. He stayed in the game initially but ultimately was forced to come out.
The Red Sox will undoubtedly take a look at Sale's shoulder on Friday. Should he need to miss time, recently demoted starters Nick Pivetta and Corey Kluber are options.
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