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MLB news: Boston Red Sox teammates believe in Chris Sale rebound

Taking a page from Ted Lasso, the Red Sox are entering the 2023 season saying they absolutely believe that Sale, once the ace for Boston before injuries and the pandemic derailed his previous three seasons, will bounce back in 2023.

Sale is a seven-time All-Star but has pitched a total of just 48.1 innings over the last three seasons. That includes last year when he saw action in just two games for 5.2 innings due to a right rib stress fracture, as well as hand and wrist injuries. This year, however, Sale emerged from spring training healthy and looking like he could be a solid contributor to the top of the Boston rotation.

“Yeah, he will,” Red Sox catcher Jorge Alfaro told NESN.com for this article when asked about Sale’s chances for a solid season based on what he saw in the spring. “I know it, like you can tell.”

Sale is not in line to start on Opening Day (Sale’s 34th birthday), with that honor falling to new Red Sox pitcher Corey Kluber. However, Sale will get the ball in the second game of the season, on Saturday against Baltimore. Plenty of eyes will be on Sale to see exactly how the southpaw will fare and what kind of tone it sets for him and Boston at the start of the young season.