Chris Sale: Bounce Back Starting Pitcher for 2016

Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale had a down year this season compared to 2014. While it wasn’t all bad, there is room for improvement next season.

The starting pitchers of 2015 were amazing to watch. We had the typical stars that wow us, but we also had a few up-and-comers that made us turn our heads a bit. However, there were some that disappointed as well. And while I’m not saying this particular pitcher was a total bust, there are some areas he can improve on for 2016. Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale will be back to his top-10 self next season.

Like I said, 2015 was not a bad year for Sale by any means. It was just that compared to his previous seasons, he wasn’t his usual self. In his five previous seasons, he averaged a 2.76 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP with a 44-29 record. Some of that is skewed by his first two seasons as a relief pitcher.

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This season, Chris Sale finished with a 13-11 record, 3.41 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 23 home runs allowed (1.0 HR/9) and 185 hits allowed. The ERA, 23 homers and hits allowed were all career highs for Sale. Despite those numbers, there are others that were the best we’ve seen from Sale.

He struck out 274, 11.8 K/9 (career best) and walked 42 batters with a 2.73 FIP. The low FIP indicates that some of his ERA was based on “bad luck” and poor defense behind him. The White Sox had the seventh-worst fielding percentage in the league. He still finished 11th among starters and 36th overall on the Player Rater.

Chris Sale is still a superstar pitcher. He’s been in the Cy Young conversation ever since he became a starter in 2012. He has over 1000 strikeouts and 215 walks in 883.1 innings. This season was just a bump in the road for a pitcher who will be at the top of rankings for years to come.

Next: Yasiel Puig: Rebound Candidate in 2016

Chris Sale was drafted in the third round as the fourth pitcher in ESPN leagues. I see him moving down a bit in my 2016 rankings. Not because of his down season, but because other pitchers stepped up, like Dallas Keuchel and two of the New York Mets pitchers. I think he’ll be able to lower his ERA back to a 3.10 level even in the tough-hitting American League Central.

Projections: 12-8, 3.05 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 256 strikeouts

Draft: Round 4