Chris Sale is throwing again and Red Sox fans should be ecstatic (Video)

Long-injured Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale was spotted throwing off the mound in Boston as his rehab from Tommy John surgery nears an end.

Chris Sale’s return to the Red Sox is starting to feel a lot more real.

On Friday, the pitcher who is on his way back from Tommy John surgery was able to throw off the mound at Fenway before Boston’s game against the Blue Jays.

It sure is nice to see Sale back on that mound, even if he won’t be back fully for a little while yet.

Here’s another angle from the ground:

Sale rejoined the team earlier this week for their eight-game homestand. On Tuesday, he threw 25 pitches in a bullpen session and he should progress to facing batters in the near future.

He told reporters he expects to pitch this season, though a timetable for his return is still unknown.

Chris Sale’s Red Sox return is highly anticipated after nearly two years out

The Red Sox have been without their ace since Aug. 13, 2019. While elbow inflammation shut down his season, it wasn’t supposed to take this long to get him back. He ended up needing Tommy John surgery in March last year.

After spending most of the year rehabbing in Florida, bringing him back with the team and having him throw off the mound are clear signs that his return is on track.

Boston is likely to send him to the minors for a few starts before he gets back in uniform for a major league game.

For the Red Sox, getting him back should be huge. The team has been competitive — and currently sits one game out of the lead in the AL East — while leaning on a solid but unspectacular pitching rotation. Sale will bring some star power to the table.