After a series of injuries and false starts since 2020, Chris Sale finally provides fans with a positive update on his return to the Red Sox starting rotation.
With pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training this week, Boston Red Sox fans are getting some good news about Chris Sale and his return to the mound this season.
During media availability, Sale gave a full report on his health and readiness for the season.
As Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports, Sale is ready to go and eager to face major league hitters again.
“What I threw today, I could’ve done that to hitters… if they told me I had to face hitters tomorrow, I wouldn’t have a problem with it, I’d like it.”
— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) February 15, 2023
Sale is itching to go, clearly.
Chris Sale remains positive despite numerous setbacks
Since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2020, Sale’s journey back to the majors has been bumpy, to say the least.
His brief return in 2021, in which he made nine regular season outings plus three postseason starts, gave Red Sox fans a promising glimpse of the ace they had been waiting to see again.
2022 wasn’t so kind to Sale and Red Sox fans, as various injuries befell the unlucky 6-foot-6 lefty. After missing the first three months of the season with a rib stress fracture, his season debut was cut short when he suffered a broken finger on a comebacker. As if that wasn’t bad enough, his season ended a month later when he broke his wrist in a bicycle accident and underwent surgery.
Despite the adversity over the past three seasons, Sale has arrived at camp with a positive mindset and a healthy perspective on his journey, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com.
Chris Sale: "When you kind of look at my career, if you get to ‘18, you throw the last pitch of the World Series, show up next spring training, sign a contract, what could go wrong, right? The answer that question was, just about everything. So I know how quickly it can be gone."
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) February 15, 2023
Can the Red Sox compete in the AL East?
Sale also provided Red Sox fans with another positive message for the 2023 season. Despite the team’s struggles last season, in which they finished in the basement of the AL East, Sale believes that they are ready to compete again.
Sale has a message for the doubters:
— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) February 15, 2023
“We’re here to make some noise. Say what you want, I like where we’re at.”
Only time will tell if Sale and the Red Sox will make some noise, but for now, Red Sox fans can be happy to have their ace back and healthy to start the season.