Red Sox: A Chris Sale trade idea that works after latest meltdown

It’s unclear exactly what Chris Sale’s trade value is for the Boston Red Sox after his brutal start to the regular season, but something has to give.

The Boston Red Sox should find a way to get Chris Sale off their roster. If Chaim Bloom is serious about contending this season — and for now it’s unclear that he is — there’s very little chance Sale contributes much to a team which views itself as a postseason contender.

Sale destroyed a Gatorade cooler on Monday night after he was pulled against the Baltimore Orioles. The veteran lefty gave up five runs on nine hits in his second time around facing the O’s this year, his first being on April 1, in which he allowed seven runs and three homers.

Sale’s ERA is over eight in the first month of the season. He has one more year remaining on his deal, and unless the Sox trade him elsewhere, will make $27.5 million in 2024. A buyout is the most likely outcome if Boston is out of contention.

MLB Rumors: Could the Red Sox trade Chris Sale?

Trading Sale with the amount of salary remaining on his deal would be tough at this juncture, but perhaps doable with the right team. In all likelihood, Boston would have to take on some of Sale’s remaining salary to make this happen.

A team like the St. Louis Cardinals, which needed pitching help, could be desperate enough. Sale finished top-5 in AL Cy Young voting as recently as 2018, and in the past few seasons, has looked decent when healthy. 2023 has been brutal, however, and a change of scenery is necessary.

Both Matz and Sale are on bad contracts at the moment. Assuming Boston takes on, say, $10 million of his salary, then the money evens out.

Matz had an ERA over five in 2022 and is off to a rough start in 2023. He’s under contract for an extra year, but the money is far more manageable, allowing the Red Sox to invest elsewhere even if Matz doesn’t pan out.

This deal doesn’t immediately move the needle for either side, but it could down the road, especially considering neither player will have the same pressure and failure associated with their current deals.