| Date | News | Comment |
| Jun 23 2025 | Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said Monday that while the team fully anticipates Sale to pitch again this season, it won't have a timetable until it sees how the pitcher's fractured left ribcage heals, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale suffered the ribcage fracture while making a diving play during his start last Wednesday against the Mets and was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday. He will remain with the major-league club on its road trip because the team travels with a machine that Sale will use to help stimulate bone healing. Atlanta should have more on Sale's progress in the coming weeks. |
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| Jun 21 2025 | Atlanta placed Sale on the 15-day injured list with a fractured left ribcage Saturday, retroactive to Thursday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale made a diving play in the ninth inning of Wednesday's game against the Mets, and he damaged his ribs in the process. He'll be eligible to return from the IL in early July, though it's likely he'll need more than a minimum-length stay. Austin Cox will come up from Triple-A Gwinnett to give Atlanta extra bullpen depth, and the team will likely keep Didier Fuentes in the rotation for now to replace Sale. |
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| Jun 18 2025 | Sale (5-4) notched the win Wednesday against the Mets, giving up five hits and one walk in 8.2 scoreless innings. He struck out seven. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The All-Star left-hander narrowly missed out on what would've been his fourth career shutout, as Brandon Nimmo poked a bloop single to end the hurler's bid with two outs in the ninth inning. Sale still continued his recent tear on the mound, twirling at least six innings while allowing one run or fewer in his sixth straight start. His slow start to the year is becoming a distant memory, as Sale has drastically improved his 6.17 ERA from April 19 to 2.53 on the campaign following Wednesday's gem. The southpaw boasts a 1.23 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 82:19 K:BB over his last 10 appearances (66 innings), and he's scheduled for a rematch against the Mets early next week. |
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| Jun 15 2025 | Sale is scheduled to make his next start Wednesday against the Mets in Atlanta, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After striking out a season-high 11 batters in seven innings in his most recent start last Monday in Milwaukee, Sale was denied a two-start week when Atlanta opted to push him off his previously scheduled turn Sunday against the Rockies. Grant Holmes ended up getting the start Sunday, and Sale will now end up returning to the hill on eight days' rest for the second game of the home series versus the Mets. The decision to push Sale back in the schedule wasn't the result of any health concern; instead, Atlanta simply wanted to have the reigning Cy Young Award winner make each of his next three starts against divisional rivals as the 31-39 squad looks to make up ground in the NL East. After Wednesday's outing, Sale will tentatively line up to make his next two starts June 23 on the road against the Mets and June 28 at home versus the Phillies. |
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| Jun 14 2025 | Sale is having his start pushed back from Sunday to a game during Atlanta's upcoming series against the Mets, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale isn't dealing with any disclosed injury, rather Atlanta appears to be saving him for a key divisional series against the Mets. Grant Holmes will take Sales' originally scheduled start Sunday against the Rockies. |
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| Jun 9 2025 | Sale (4-4) earned the win over Milwaukee on Monday, allowing one run on five hits and two walks while striking out 11 batters over seven innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was dominant in the win, as he gave up only one extra-base hit and racked up 14 whiffs. The left-hander's 11 punchouts were a season high and marked the fourth time on the campaign he's reached double-digit strikeouts. Sale had an uneven start to the campaign, but he's now given up two or fewer earned runs in 10 straight outings. He's been particularly dominant over his current five-game streak of quality starts, allowing just four runs across 33 frames and posting a 43:12 K:BB during that stretch. |
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| Jun 4 2025 | Sale (3-4) was saddled with the loss Wednesday against the Diamondbacks after giving up one run on three hits and four walks in six innings. He struck out 10. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was already up to 25 pitches following the opening inning, but that didn't impede him from putting together a dominant performance. It was the star left-hander's third outing with double-digit punchouts this season, and he even reached 98 mph with his fastball three times. Sale has rediscovered his form after struggling to a 6.17 ERA through his first five starts, as he's notched a 1.43 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 64:16 K:BB over his last eight, and his next outing is set to come against a Brewers team with a weak .664 OPS over 32 games since May 1. |
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| May 29 2025 | Sale (3-3) earned the win Thursday in the second game of a doubleheader against the Phillies, allowing two hits and three walks over six scoreless innings. He struck out eight. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was dominant Thursday, holding a potent Phillies offense scoreless en route to his third win this season. After a shaky start to the year, the reigning Cy Young winner's posted a 1.42 ERA with 54 strikeouts in his last seven outings (44.1 innings). Overall, Sale's ERA now sits at 3.06 with a 1.24 WHIP and 86:19 K:BB across 12 starts (67.2 innings) this season. He'll look to keep rolling his next time out, tentatively scheduled for next week at home against the Diamondbacks. |
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| May 23 2025 | Sale took a no-decision in Friday's 2-1 loss to San Diego, allowing one run on four hits and one walk while striking out six across seven innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale generated 15 whiffs on 95 pitches (64 strikes), and his lone blemish came in the second inning, when he yielded a solo home run to Gavin Sheets. Sale has logged at least seven strikeouts in seven of his last eight starts, and his 78 punchouts across 61.2 innings this season are tied with Garrett Crochet for fifth most in the majors. Sale will take a 3.36 ERA and 1.28 WHIP into his next start, tentatively slated for next week on the road against the Phillies. |
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| May 16 2025 | Sale (2-3) earned the win Friday against the Red Sox after allowing one run on five hits and two walks in seven innings. He struck out eight. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale fanned at least eight in his fourth straight start, delivering his third quality start in that span. The star left-hander endured a rough start to the season, which saw him post a 6.17 ERA through five outings, but he's now thrown at least five innings while surrendering two runs or fewer in each of his past five appearances. Sale will aim to further improve his 3.62 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 72:15 K:BB over 54.2 innings in his next start against the Nationals, currently projected for next week. |
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| May 11 2025 | Sale took a no-decision in Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Pirates, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits and two walks over 5.2 innings. He struck out eight. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Atlanta southpaw generated a solid 18 whiffs in this 99-pitch outing, falling one out shy of notching his third consecutive quality start. Despite yielding eight base knocks, only one of the hits went for extra bases -- an Alexander Canario double in the fourth. Through 47.2 frames, Sale owns a 3.97 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 64:13 K:BB. He is currently scheduled to make his next start against one of his former teams, the Red Sox, in Boston next weekend. |
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| May 6 2025 | Sale tossed 6.2 scoreless innings but did not factor into the decision Tuesday against the Reds. He gave up five hits, walked two and struck out 10. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale's scoreless outing was matched by Andrew Abbott and the Reds bullpen. He exited at 112 pitches after a walk in the seventh put two on. That's now back-to-back outings of six-plus innings and 10 strikeouts for the veteran left-hander, who's also allowed two runs or fewer in four straight starts. Sale will look to put his mark on a strong two-start week when he faces the Pirates this weekend. |
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| Apr 30 2025 | Sale (1-3) took the loss Wednesday, giving up two runs on five hits over seven innings as Atlanta was downed 2-1 by the Rockies. He struck out 10 without walking a batter. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran lefty was undaunted by pitching at Coors Field, putting together his best performance of the season on 100 pitches (71 strikes), including a massive 24 swinging strikes. Sale appears to be finding his form after a bumpy beginning to 2025, and over his last four starts he's delivered a 3.48 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 29:8 K:BB through 20.2 innings. He'll look to keep rolling in his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home early next week against the Reds. |
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| Apr 19 2025 | Sale didn't factor in the decision Saturday against the Twins. He gave up two runs on six hits with eight strikeouts and three walks over 4.1 innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran left-hander walked three batters for the second straight start and failed to complete five frames for a third consecutive outing. It's a stark contrast to his 2024 Cy Young campaign, during which Sale made just two starts of fewer than five innings and issued three walks on just four occasions. His 32:7 K:BB through five starts in 2025 looks great, but Sale's 6.17 ERA and 1.63 WHIP leave a lot to be desired. |
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| Apr 13 2025 | Sale (0-2) took the loss against the Rays on Sunday, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks with seven strikeouts over 4.1 innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale threw 63 of 98 pitches for strikes and limited hard contact, but he failed to complete the fifth inning for a second straight start. The veteran southpaw has yet to go beyond five innings in any of his four outings this season, yielding at least three earned runs in each of the them. As a result, he'll carry a 6.63 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 24:4 K:BB across 19 innings into a home matchup with the Twins next weekend. |
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| Apr 8 2025 | Sale (0-1) didn't factor into the decision Tuesday against the Phillies. He allowed five runs on nine hits while striking out five across 4.2 innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale gave up three runs in the third inning, and the veteran southpaw allowed a fifth run in the fifth frame on a 462-foot solo homer to center field from Kyle Schwarber. Sale managed to generate 60 strikes on 86 pitches (including 15 whiffs) and has logged 17 strikeouts over his first three starts, but he's also registered a 6.75 ERA and 1.36 WHIP across 14.2 innings. He's tentatively slated to face the Rays on the road this weekend, when he'll look to earn his first win of the 2025 campaign. |
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| Apr 1 2025 | Sale (0-1) was charged with the loss Tuesday against the Dodgers after giving up three runs on four hits and no walks across five-plus innings. He struck out five. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran left-hander was dominant through five frames with just a single and two hit batsmen allowed, but three straight hits to start the sixth inning, including a two-run homer by Mookie Betts, resulted in three runs and soured the performance. Sale has now surrendered three runs over five frames in each of his first two outings of the season, which is an underwhelming start to 2025 for the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner. |
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| Mar 27 2025 | Sale didn't factor into the decision in Thursday's loss to the Padres, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out seven. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale's 2025 campaign got off to a rocky start after Jackson Merrill drove in a pair of runs with a two-out single in the first inning. The reigning NL Cy Young winner would settle in, holding the Padres to one run over his final four innings before departing with a one-run lead. Sale was dominant in his age-35 season last year, posting a 2.38 ERA. 1.01 WHIP and 225 strikeouts in 29 starts. He's currently in line to face the Dodgers on the road in his next outing. |
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| Mar 22 2025 | Sale gave up three hits and a walk over four scoreless innings during Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays. He struck out five. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran southpaw finishes his spring with a 2.79 ERA and 20:5 K:BB through 19.1 innings. Sale's checkered injury history wasn't erased by last year's National League Cy Young Award -- he hasn't worked 25-plus starts in back-to-back seasons since 2018-19 -- but he's shown no hint of a health concern in camp and looks ready to take the bump for Atlanta on Opening Day, just three days before his 36th birthday. |
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| Mar 17 2025 | Atlanta announced Monday that Sale will be its Opening Day starter March 27 in San Diego. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: If there was any doubt the reigning National League Cy Young winner would be taking the ball for the opener, the club has now removed it. Sale has followed up his Cy Young-winning campaign with a nice spring, posting a 3.52 ERA and 15:4 K:BB over 15.1 frames. |
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| Mar 5 2025 | Sale walked one and struck out four over four scoreless, no-hit innings during Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner looked to be nearly in regular-season form as he carved up a Minnesota lineup that included plenty of potential Opening Day starters, with his strikeouts coming against the likes of Matt Wallner, Ty France and Jose Miranda. Sale's outing was even more encouraging considering that Drake Baldwin was getting the start at catcher in place of Sean Murphy (ribs), as Atlanta could elect to bring the prospect north on the 26-man roster. Sale remains on track to get the Opening Day nod against the Padres on March 27. |
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| Feb 23 2025 | Sale tossed two perfect innings with zero strikeouts in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Atlanta's southpaw ace tossed 14 of 21 pitches for strikes, per David O'Brien of The Athletic, topping out at 95 mph with his fastball and not even featuring his plus-plus slider, which helps explain the lack of whiffs. Sale is happy with where he is with his mechanics at this stage of the spring, and after winning the NL Cy Young Award in 2024 while becoming the first pitcher in franchise history to record a Triple Crown by leading the league in wins (18), ERA (2.39) and Ks (225), he's on track to get the Opening Day assignment for Atlanta on the road against the Padres on March 27. |
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| Feb 19 2025 | Sale will get the start Saturday for Atlanta's Grapefruit League opener against the Twins, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner is almost certain to get the Opening Day start as well, but Atlanta has yet to make that official. Sale's 29 starts and 177.2 innings in 2024 represent his biggest workload since 2017, and the 35-year-old southpaw believes he'll be able to stay mostly healthy again this season. "I kind of found a routine that really worked well for me last year, and when I needed to adjust, I could," Sale said this week. "So again, I'm basically just trying to replicate what last offseason looked like, and then kind of do the same thing through spring training and hopefully it translates to the season." Manager Brian Snitker indicated that Sale's routine would once again include an extra day or two of rest between his starts, as Sale rarely worked on only four days' rest in 2024. |
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| Nov 21 2024 | Sale said Wednesday that he is fully recovered from the back spasms that kept him off Atlanta's roster for the National League Wild Card Series, Lindsay Crosby of AthlonSports.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale made his last appearance of the season Sept. 19 because of the injury, but he had progressed enough that he was scheduled to start Game 3 of the NLDS, had Atlanta advanced. The left-hander is expected to have a normal offseason. Sale was named the 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner Wednesday after posting a 2.38 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 225:39 K:BB over 177.2 innings for Atlanta in 2024. |
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| Nov 20 2024 | Sale was named the 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner Wednesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale finished in the top three for Cy Young Award voting twice (2014, 2017) during his 13 seasons in the American League. Now, after posting a 2.38 ERA and 1.01 WHIP alongside a 225:39 K:BB over 177.2 innings, the 35-year-old southpaw has finally taken home the trophy in his first season since shifting to the National League. He received 26 out of a possible 30 first-place votes. |
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| Oct 4 2024 | Atlanta president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said that Sale (back) threw a bullpen session Friday and would have been on the NLDS roster had the club advanced, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale had to be scratched from the last game of the regular season and was left off the wild-card series roster because of back spasms. However, it would appear the injury is mostly in the rearview mirror and the left-hander should have a normal offseason. Sale is the National League Cy Young favorite after going 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 225:39 K:BB over 177.2 innings. |
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| Oct 1 2024 | Sale (back) is not on Atlanta's roster for its National League Wild Card Series against the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale is dealing with back spasms, an injury which he's dealt with off and on for a while and which flared up Sunday. It's possible he will be an option to join Atlanta's rotation during the NLDS, should it advance, but that's up in the air for now. Bryce Elder and AJ Smith-Shawver have made the wild-card roster and one of them is expected to start Game 1 in San Diego. |
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| Sep 30 2024 | Manager Brian Snitker doesn't believe Sale (back) will be available to pitch during the team's upcoming wild-card series against the Padres, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was scratched from the second game of Monday's doubleheader against the Mets due to back spasms, and the issue could force the southpaw to miss the entire first round of the postseason. Snitker notes that Sale hasn't officially been ruled out just yet, but this isn't promising news for Atlanta, which may be forced to rely more upon Max Fried, Reynaldo Lopez and Charlie Morton. |
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| Sep 29 2024 | Sale will start Game 2 of Monday's doubleheader against the Mets, if necessary, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale will be waiting in the wings Monday to start Game 2 if Atlanta loses the opener of their doubleheader with New York. The team needs to win one of the two games to clinch a spot in the Wild Card round Tuesday and if they win Game 1, Sale will shift his focus to being ready for the postseason. Spencer Schwellenbach will toe the rubber in the first game Monday. |
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| Sep 26 2024 | Atlanta doesn't plan to start Sale again until it is facing elimination, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale had been scheduled to start Wednesday versus the Mets before the game was postponed. Atlanta will go with Max Fried on Friday against the Royals but isn't listing starters yet for Saturday or Sunday. Sale could potentially start as soon as Saturday but could be held back as late as Monday for the rescheduled doubleheader versus the Mets. |
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| Sep 25 2024 | Sale will not pitch as originally scheduled against the Mets on Wednesday, as the game was postponed due to inclement weather in Atlanta, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Thursday's contest was postponed as well, so Atlanta and New York will play a doubleheader Monday in order to make up the two games. Meanwhile, Sale's next opportunity to start will arrive Friday, when Atlanta hosts the Royals. |
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| Sep 23 2024 | Sale will make his next start Wednesday against the Mets, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran lefty was originally in line to pitch Tuesday, which would have set him up for a two-start week to close out the schedule, but Sale's average fastball velocity was down over two miles per hour in his last outing Thursday against the Reds. As a result, Atlanta elected to be cautious with its ace and bump him back a day. Rookie Spencer Schwellenbach now gets the chance for a two-step with potential starts Tuesday and Sunday, while Sale would be available to pitch the first game of the wild-card series, should the team make the postseason. He also has a possible NL Cy Young Award, and even a triple crown, hanging in the balance -- Sale leads the Senior Circuit with 18 wins, a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts. |
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| Sep 19 2024 | Sale (18-3) earned the win Thursday over Cincinnati, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks across five innings. He struck out six. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While Sale failed to make it through six innings for the first time in eight starts, the left-hander continues to separate himself as the Cy Young favorite -- Sale hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of his last 18 outings. He leads the majors in wins, ERA (2.38) and strikeouts (225) through 29 starts (177.2) innings this season. Sale will look to wrap up the regular season on a high note -- he's currently lined up for a home matchup with the Mets next week in what figures to be his final start. |
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| Sep 14 2024 | Sale (17-3) allowed a run on five hits and two walks while striking out six over six innings to earn the win Saturday over the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale has allowed no more than two runs in any of his last seven starts, giving up just six runs with a 54:7 K:BB over 45 innings in that span. He's now gone nine consecutive outings without giving up a home run. Sale trimmed his ERA to 2.35 with a 1.00 WHIP and 219:37 K:BB through 172.2 innings overall across 28 starts this season. He's projected to make his next start at Cincinnati. |
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| Sep 8 2024 | Sale did not factor into the decision in Sunday's win over Toronto, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out seven in six-shutout innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was his usual, dominant self Sunday, allowing just three baserunners while adding seven strikeouts, giving him a MLB-best 213 on the year. Sale has now allowed two earned runs or fewer in 16 consecutive starts dating back to June 1, a remarkable streak highlighting his consistency. With a league-leading 2.38 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 213:35 K:BB to go with his pristine 16-3 record, Sale has all but cemented himself as the NL Cy Young Award winner. The southpaw lines up to face the Dodgers next weekend. |
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| Sep 4 2024 | Sale (16-3) picked up the win Tuesday, allowing six hits over seven scoreless innings in a 3-0 victory over the Rockies. He struck out nine without walking a batter. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran lefty continues his march toward both the NL Cy Young Award and a pitching Triple Crown, generating a whopping 23 swinging strikes among his 93 pitches as he reeled off his fifth straight quality start and 16th of the year. Sale leads the majors with 206 strikeouts, five ahead of Tarik Skubal and Dylan Cease, while his 16 wins are tied for the MLB lead with Skubal. Sale's 2.46 ERA also paces all qualified pitchers, with Skubal once again in second at 2.51. Sale's next victory will tie his previous career high of 17, a mark he last reached in 2017 -- he'll try to pick it up this weekend in a home start against the Blue Jays. |
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| Aug 29 2024 | Sale (15-3) earned the win over Minnesota on Wednesday, allowing one run on six hits and one walk while striking out six batters over six innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale didn't give up a run until the sixth inning and logged his fourth consecutive quality start. Over that stretch, he's posted a 1.73 ERA while registering a dominant 32:4 K:BB over 26 frames. Sale is likely the current favorite for the NL Cy Young award -- he's tied for the MLB lead in both wins (15) and punchouts (197), leads all qualified pitchers with a 2.58 ERA and ranks eighth with a 1.02 WHIP. With three more strikeouts, the southpaw will reach 200 punchouts for the eighth time in his career and the first time since 2019. |
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| Aug 23 2024 | Sale yielded two runs on nine hits and a walk over seven innings in a no-decision Friday. He struck out four during the extra-inning win against the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The only damage against Sale came in the fourth inning on a two-run double by Andres Chaparro. Sale lost his three-game streak of at least 10 punchouts but he turned in his third straight quality start. He's allowed two or fewer earned runs in 13 consecutive starts, posting a 2.25 ERA over that span. Sale owns a 2.62 ERA alongside a 191:33 K:BB through 147.2 innings this season. His next start is projected to be in Minnesota. |
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| Aug 18 2024 | Sale (14-3) earned the win over the Angels on Saturday, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks over six innings while striking out 10. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale stifled the Angels' lineup for most of the night, allowing only two batters to reach second base over the first five innings before surrendering two runs in the sixth - one of which came across on a wild pitch. The lefty induced 17 whiffs on the night and posted double-digit strikeouts for the third consecutive start. Sale has now won his four last decisions (spanning eight starts) and hasn't surrendered more than two runs since June 1 against the Athletics (span of 12 starts). |
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| Aug 12 2024 | Sale allowed three hits and struck out 12 batters over seven scoreless innings in a no-decision against San Francisco on Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale and Giants starter Blake Snell locked into a southpaw pitching duel that included a combined 23 strikeouts over 13.1 scoreless frames. Sale's strikeout total was a season high and marked his second consecutive contest with double-digit punchouts. The veteran lefty extended his streak of starts allowing two or fewer earned runs to 11, and he's racked up a 95:20 K:BB over 67 innings during that span. Sale has built a strong case to this point for NL Cy Young honors -- he leads qualified starters in the circuit in ERA (2.61) and ranks second in both WHIP (0.97) and punchouts (177) while tying for the major-league lead with 13 victories. |
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| Aug 7 2024 | Sale allowed three runs (two earned) on nine hits and two walks while striking out 10 over 4.2 innings in a no-decision versus Milwaukee on Wednesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This was just the second time all year Sale has failed to finish five innings. It was also the first time in 10 starts he gave up more than two runs. He threw 62 of 96 pitches for strikes and reached double-digit strikeouts for the fourth time this year, but he simply wasn't very efficient against a challenging offense. Sale is now at a 2.75 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 165:30 K:BB through 127.2 innings over 21 starts this season. He'll look to bounce back in his next start, which is tentatively projected to be at San Francisco next week. |
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| Jul 31 2024 | Sale came away with a no-decision in Wednesday's 6-2 win over the Brewers, giving up two runs on six hits and three walks over 5.2 innings. He struck out six. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran southpaw wasn't quite efficient enough to record his 12th quality start of the season or his 14th win, getting the hook after 100 pitches (68 strikes) with the score still tied 2-2. Sale did extend his streak of starts allowing two runs or less to nine -- since a rough outing against the A's on June 1, he's delivered a 2.28 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 73:18 K:BB over his last 55.1 innings. Sale will look to keep rolling in his next outing, which lines up to come at home early next week in a rematch with Milwaukee. |
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| Jul 26 2024 | Sale did not factor into the decision in an extra-inning loss to the Mets on Thursday, allowing two runs on two hits and one walk over 7.1 innings while striking out nine. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was efficient during the contest, with the exception of the third inning when he left a sinker hanging over the plate for Francisco Lindor to launch into the stands in center field for a two-run shot. The veteran lefty then retired 13 of the last 14 batters he faced before being relieved by Joe Jimenez with one out in the eighth. Sale has now given up two or fewer runs in eight consecutive starts, while the home run surrendered to Lindor was the first long ball he's allowed in July. Sale has also posted at least nine strikeouts in four of his last five outings. |
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| Jul 24 2024 | Sale won't start the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader versus the Reds after the game was postponed due to inclement weather in Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Rain prevented Sale from starting as originally scheduled Tuesday, and poor weather conditions will now prevent Atlanta and Cincinnati from concluding Wednesday's twin bill. The game has been rescheduled for Sept. 9. Per David O'Brien of The Athletic, Sale is slated to take the hill Thursday against the Mets at Citi Field for what will be his first start since the All-Star break. |
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| Jul 23 2024 | Sale will not start as scheduled Tuesday against the Reds, as the game was postponed due to inclement weather. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Atlanta and Cincinnati will play a doubleheader Wednesday to make up for Tuesday's contest, and Sale will get the nod to start Game 2, per David O'Brien of The Athletic. The 35-year-old southpaw has posted a 1.91 ERA and 0.99 WHIP alongside a 41:11 K:BB through 28.1 innings across his last five starts. |
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| Jul 15 2024 | Sale (13-3) earned the win over the Padres on Sunday, allowing one run on four hits and two walks while striking out four over five innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale let up a run in the opening frame but was able to limit the damage to just a run after allowing three base hits in the inning. He silenced the Padres from there to pick up his league-leading 13th win and his third consecutive victory. He becomes the first Atlanta pitcher since 2000 to head into the All-Star break with 13 wins. Sale has now allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last seven starts and heads into the break with a 2.70 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 140:24 K:BB in 110 innings. |
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| Jul 10 2024 | Sale (12-3) got the win Tuesday over the Diamondbacks, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out nine over 5.1 innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale mowed down the Diamondbacks for his league-leading 12th win of the season. For reference, he entered this season with just 11 wins total dating back to the end of the 2019 campaign. Sale kept the Diamondbacks scoreless through five frames before a single and a triple in the sixth scored their first run and knocked Sale out of the game. A second run wound up being charged to the lefty before the inning ended. Sale has now allowed two runs or fewer in six straight starts and has piled up a 54:12 K:BB in 37.1 innings over that span. He now owns a 2.74 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 136:22 K:BB in 105 innings this year and is in line to make one final start before the All-Star break this weekend against the Padres. |
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| Jul 8 2024 | Sale is no longer scheduled to start Monday's series opener in Arizona and will instead take the hill Tuesday against the Diamondbacks, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The southpaw appeared poised for a two-start week to close out Atlanta's first-half schedule, but that's suddenly in jeopardy after the club chose to call up Bryce Elder from Triple-A Gwinnett to start Monday. While he could still be available to start Atlanta's final game before the break Sunday in San Diego on four days' rest, since Sale has already been named to the National League All-Star team, the coaching staff might prefer not to use him that day in advance of the Midsummer Classic. Even if Sale ends up getting just one start this week, fantasy managers will likely still want to keep him active, given that he's gone 3-2 with a 1.97 ERA and 0.84 WHIP since serving up a season-high eight earned runs June 1 versus Oakland. |
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| Jul 3 2024 | Sale (11-3) allowed one run on three hits and two walks while striking out nine over six innings to earn the win over the Giants on Wednesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale has allowed just one run in each of his last three starts, though he was unlucky to come away with just two wins in that span. His 11 wins rank first in the National League, and Sale is tied with Kansas City's Seth Lugo for the major-league lead. Sale is now at a 2.71 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 127:19 K:BB through 99.2 innings over 16 starts this season. The southpaw's next start is projected to be on the road in Arizona. |
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| Jun 28 2024 | Sale (10-3) suffered the loss Thursday, allowing one run on four hits and a walk over seven innings against the White Sox. He struck out 11. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale dominated his former team, with a first-inning homer by Luis Robert marking the only blemish to his stellar outing. However, the bats failed to provide any support for Sale, and Atlanta suffered its third shutout loss of the season with each occurring within the month of June. Following an inexplicable blip June 1 when he allowed eight runs to the hapless Athletics, Sale has rebounded over the last four games by allowing a total of six earned runs over 26 innings, giving him an ERA of 2.08 with a 0.85 WHIP and 36 strikeouts during that stretch. His next start is tentatively scheduled to take place in the middle of next week, when Atlanta plays host to the Giants. |
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| Jun 22 2024 | Sale (10-2) picked up the win Friday, allowing one run on one hit and three walks over five innings in an 8-1 victory over the Yankees. He struck out eight. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: A Jahmai Jones triple in the second inning was the only knock on Sale's line as the veteran lefty fanned at least seven batters for the eighth time in nine starts since the beginning of May. Over that stretch, he's posted a 2.45 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 74:9 K:BB through 55 innings en route to becoming the third pitcher in the majors this season to reach double-digit wins, after the Phillies' Ranger Suarez and the Royals' Seth Lugo. Sale will look to keep rolling in his next outing, which lines up to come on the road next week in St. Louis. |
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| Jun 14 2024 | Sale (9-2) allowed two runs on five hits and two walks over seven innings Friday, striking out seven and earning a win over the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale coughed up a run before recording an out in the first inning but settled in for a strong quality start in the win. He forced 17 swinging strikes, including 12 on the slider. It was Sale's second consecutive quality start and sixth in his last seven appearances. The veteran lefty has posted a 2.60 ERA over 45 innings during that span. For the season, he owns a 2.98 ERA with a 99:13 K:BB through 13 outings. Sale's next start is lined up to be on the road against the Yankees. |
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| Jun 7 2024 | Sale (8-2) took the loss Friday against the Nationals, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk over seven innings. He struck out 10. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It was a strong bounce-back effort from Sale after he surrendered eight runs against Oakland in his last start. However, Atlanta couldn't get on the board until the eighth inning in an eventual 2-1 defeat. Sale now has eight or more strikeouts in six of his last seven outings. His ERA sits at 3.01 with a 0.94 WHIP and 92:11 K:BB across 12 starts (74.2 innings) this year. Sale's currently in line for a road matchup with the Orioles in his next outing. |
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| Jun 1 2024 | Sale allowed eight runs on nine hits and a walk over four innings against the A's on Saturday. He struck out four. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It was a rough day for Sale, who allowed six runs over his first two innings before Brent Rooker added two more with a home run in the fourth. Sale hadn't allowed more than one run in six straight starts prior to Saturday while recording eight or more strikeouts in each of his last five outings. Overall, the veteran left-hander is 8-1 on the season with a 3.06 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 82:10 K:BB across 67.2 innings. Sale will look to right the ship in his next start, currently scheduled for next week in Washington. |
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| May 26 2024 | Sale (8-1) picked up the victory Sunday against the Pirates, allowing one run on four hits and a walk over seven innings. He struck out eight. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale's scoreless inning streak was snapped at 21.2 innings, but that's about the only negative to take from his performance, as he continues to mow down the competition. It was the seventh straight start in which Sale has earned a win and the sixth consecutive outing in which he's allowed one or fewer runs. Sale, who has not been a beacon of health over recent seasons, has not missed a turn this season, already throwing more innings than in all but one season since 2019. Through 10 starts, Sale has a 2.12 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 78 strikeouts and a K/BB rate of 8.7 over 63.2 innings. His next start is slated for next weekend, when Atlanta welcomes Oakland to town for a three-game set. |
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| May 20 2024 | Sale (7-1) earned the win over San Diego in the second game of Monday's doubleheader, allowing five hits and no walks while striking out nine batters over seven scoreless innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale dominated a Padres offense that had put up 18 runs in winning the first three games of the series, racking up 18 swinging strikes and registering his third straight scoreless outing. The left-hander fell one punchout shy of his second double-digit strikeout effort of the campaign and has now fanned at least nine batters in four straight appearances, recording exactly nine strikeouts three times during that span. Sale has accumulated 19 scoreless frames over his past three starts with a 28:1 K:BB during that span, giving Atlanta a dominant hurler to help ease the early-season loss of Spencer Strider (elbow). Sale is tied for second in the league with seven victories, ranks 11th with a 2.22 ERA and is tied for fifth with 70 punchouts. |
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| May 15 2024 | Sale (6-1) picked up the win in Tuesday's 7-0 victory over the Cubs, scattering two hits over seven scoreless innings. He struck out nine without walking a batter. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran southpaw simply overmatched Chicago's hitters, and the only runner to get into scoring position against Sale came after one of his two HBPs on the night. He generated 30 called or swinging strikes among his 92 pitches as he produced his second straight quality start and fourth of the season. Sale will take a 2.54 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and eye-popping 61:8 K:BB through 49.2 innings into his next outing, which lines up to come at home early next week against the Padres. |
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| May 9 2024 | Sale (5-1) earned the win over the Red Sox on Wednesday, hurling six shutout innings while allowing six hits and one walk. He struck out 10. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale allowed at least one hit in each of his first five innings of work but was consistently able to work his way through it without sustaining any damage. He logged just one 1-2-3 inning, which came in the sixth, while fanning a season-high 10 batters on the night. The veteran lefty has now logged quality starts in three of his last four outings and hasn't produced fewer than six strikeouts in any of his seven starts this season. He's also won each of his last four starts. |
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| May 2 2024 | Sale (4-1) picked up the win Wednesday in a 5-2 victory over the Mariners, allowing one run on six hits over five innings. He struck out nine without walking a batter. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran lefty wasn't exactly efficient, needing 100 pitches to record 15 outs, but Sale generated an eye-popping 21 swinging strikes in another dominant performance. The nine Ks were a season high, and Sale has given up three runs or less in five of his six starts to begin his Atlanta tenure. He'll take a 3.44 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 42:7 K:BB through 36.2 innings into his next outing, which lines up for a home start next week against the former club, the Red Sox. |
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| Apr 27 2024 | Sale (3-1) picked up the win Friday, allowing one run on two hits and a walk over seven innings in a 6-2 victory over the Guardians. He struck out six. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran lefty has been healthy and dominant to kick off 2024, and he completely shut down the Cleveland offense after serving up a leadoff homer to Steven Kwan. Sale has worked seven-plus innings in three straight starts for the first time since June 2018, and he's allowed three runs or less in four of his five outings so far for Atlanta. Sale will take a 3.69 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 33:7 K:BB through 31.2 innings into his next start, which is scheduled to come on the road next week in Seattle. |
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| Apr 20 2024 | Sale (2-1) earned the win Friday versus Texas, surrendering three earned runs on five hits and a walk while striking out seven batters across seven innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale got off to a poor start Friday by allowing a leadoff home run to Marcus Semien, but he was able to pull it together quickly and keep the Rangers relatively quiet while Atlanta's offense gave him a nice lead to work with. The 35-year-old southpaw has now reached seven innings in back-to-back starts, though his ERA remains at 4.38 through 24.2 innings. He is lined up to make his next start Wednesday against the Marlins. |
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| Apr 13 2024 | Sale (1-1) absorbed the loss Saturday in Miami, allowing five runs on six hits and three walks over seven innings. He notched seven strikeouts. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was outdueled by youngster Max Meyer but still managed to go seven frames for the first time since May of last season. The five runs he permitted more than doubled his season total, and his three walks were more than he had on the year coming into the night. Sale's next outing is slated to come at home against the defending champion Rangers. |
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| Apr 7 2024 | Sale (1-0) picked up the win Sunday against Arizona, surrendering two runs on four hits and no walks while striking out six over 5.1 innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After throwing 83 pitches in his 2024 debut, Sale saw his pitch count rise to 96 on Sunday. However, the result was the same, as he lasted 5.1 innings with two runs allowed. As usual, the big question for Sale's fantasy value comes with his durability -- he tossed 11.0 innings combined in 2021 and 2022 before rebounding with 102.2 innings across 20 starts in his last season with the Red Sox. For as long as he's healthy, fantasy managers should get some good performances from the talented veteran. While there's some rotational shakeup coming in the wake of Spencer Strider's (elbow) move to the 15-Day IL, Sale's tentatively scheduled to face the Marlins in Miami next time out. |
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| Mar 31 2024 | Sale did not factor into the decision Sunday against the Phillies, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out seven. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale looked like his typical self Sunday, throwing 83 pitches over 5.1 innings in his Atlanta debut. The 35-year-old appears to be fully healthy, as he averaged 94.9-mph on his fastball, up one full tick from his average velocity in 2023. He also had some extra juice on his infamous sidewinding slider, generating a 79.4-mph average velocity, up from 77.8-mph in 2023. The only blemish on the Atlanta lefty's afternoon came via a leadoff homer in the first inning surrendered to Kyle Schwarber. Sale's next start is slated to be against Arizona at home. |
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| Mar 15 2024 | Sale allowed two runs on three hits and a walk over 3.1 innings in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against Tampa Bay. He struck out six. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After a great beginning to his first spring with Atlanta, Sale has given up five runs over his last seven innings, albeit with a still-sharp 8:2 K:BB. The 34-year-old southpaw has been healthy though, which is the most important thing for a pitcher who hasn't thrown more than 102.2 innings in a season since 2019. Sale is on track for a mid-rotation spot to begin the year, and the reigning NL East champs can afford to go easy on his workload in 2024 given their pitching depth. Expecting more than 25 starts from Sale this season might be asking too much, but he should still be good for plenty of whiffs when he's on the mound after posting a 29.4 percent strikeout rate for Boston last year. |
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| Mar 10 2024 | Sale allowed three runs on four hits and a walk over 3.2 innings in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles. He struck out two. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran lefty came into the game with a 0.00 ERA through his first two spring outings, but a Baltimore lineup that featured only two likely regulars in Adley Rutschman and Jordan Westburg stung Sale for three hits and a walk in the second inning, with a Coby Mayo double being the biggest blow. Sale still has an 11:3 K:BB through 8.1 Grapefruit League innings, and staying healthy remains his most important goal ahead of Opening Day. |
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| Mar 4 2024 | Sale gave up three hits and two walks over 2.2 scoreless innings in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies. He struck out five while also throwing a wild pitch. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: That's nine Ks and a 0.00 ERA in 4.2 innings for Sale as he gets ready for his first campaign with Atlanta. The 34-year-old lefty hasn't made 25 starts in a season since 2019, and injuries have left his numbers somewhat volatile since he crossed over into his 30s, but he appears to be 100 percent healthy in camp and could be poised for a rebound. At the very least, he could take a run at double-digit wins for the first time since 2018 with one of the most potent offenses in MLB at his back. |
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| Feb 28 2024 | Sale struck out four batters over two perfect innings in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran southpaw fired 16 of 25 pitches for strikes and overpowered a lineup that likely featured most of Pittsburgh's Opening Day starters, with his strikeout victims including Oneil Cruz and Yasmani Grandal. Sale said at the beginning of camp that he was coming off his healthiest offseason in years, offering some optimism that he can still deliver dominant results when he's on the mound, but the 34-year-old hasn't thrown at least 150 innings in a season since 2018. |
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| Feb 18 2024 | Sale indicated Saturday that he'd been completely healthy this offseason for the first time since 2018, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 34-year-old left-hander has dealt with a litany of injuries in the years since, and his typical winter during that time involved rehabbing from his latest issue rather than focusing on the upcoming campaign. A clean start to 2024 doesn't guarantee that Sale will be able to take 30-plus turns in the rotation for Atlanta, of course, but it does offer some reason for optimism that he'll top the 102.2 innings he threw for Boston last year. Sale still flashes premium stuff, posting a 29.4 percent strikeout rate last season with a 6.8 percent walk rate, and his 33.6 percent chase rate was in the 92nd percentile. If he can handle a bigger workload, he could produce 200 strikeouts for the first time since 2019. |
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| Jan 4 2024 | Sale signed a two-year, $38 million contract with Atlanta on Thursday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The deal also includes an $18 million club option for 2026. Sale had been slated to earn $27.5 million in 2024, but the reworked deal will drop his salary to $16 million for the upcoming season while adding a $22 million salary for 2025. Boston is covering $17 million, so Atlanta will be responsible for just $21 million over two years. The left-hander recently waived his no-trade clause in order to facilitate a trade from the Red Sox that sent Vaughn Grissom to Boston. The 102.2 innings Sale threw in 2023 more than doubled his total across the previous three seasons, and he will remain a major health question mark in 2024. He still boasted a 29.4 percent strikeout rate, though, and finished with a 2.88 ERA in September. |
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| Dec 30 2023 | The Red Sox traded Sale to Atlanta on Saturday in exchange for Vaughn Grissom, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Boston will also send $17 million to Atlanta in order to cover some of the $27.5 million Sale is owed this season, per Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. Sale put up a 4.30 ERA and 1.13 WHIP across 102.2 frames last season with Boston and missed two months with a shoulder injury, but he finished the year strong, allowing eight earned runs over 25 innings across five starts in September. |
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| Sep 28 2023 | Sale (6-5) took the loss Thursday, allowing one run on three hits and one walk over five innings against the Orioles. He struck out two. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While Sale logged his fewest strikeouts in 15 starts, he limited the Orioles to just one run, which came via an Anthony Santander homer in the first. The veteran southpaw showed signs of encouragement in 2023 after making just 11 starts in the last two years, going 102 innings over 20 appearances with the Red Sox this season. He finished the campaign strongly, allowing one or no runs in four of his final five starts. |
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| Sep 23 2023 | Sale came away with a no-decision in Friday's 3-2 win over the White Sox, allowing three hits and a walk over five scoreless innings. He struck out seven. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran southpaw put together another strong outing, but Sale left the mound in line for his fifth loss of the year before Boston rallied in the eighth inning. Since returning from the IL in mid-August, he has a 4.19 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 52:13 K:BB through 38.2 innings, but just one win in eight starts to show for it. Sale figures to take the mound one more time in 2023, on the road next week in Baltimore. |
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| Sep 17 2023 | Sale did not factor into the decision Saturday, allowing one run on two hits and two walks over six innings against Toronto. He struck out 10. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale shut down the Blue Jays for most of the afternoon and didn't allow a run until Vladimir Guerrero took him deep for a solo shot to lead off the bottom of the seventh. It was the lefty's first start since May 20 in which he went at least six innings, and it marked his third time this season with 10 or more strikeouts. Sale has now given up two or fewer runs in eight of his last 11 starts and has surrendered only two hits in two of his last three. On the downside, he's also issued two walks in four consecutive outings. |
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| Sep 11 2023 | Sale's next scheduled start will come Saturday against the Blue Jays, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was set to take the ball Thursday against the Yankees, but he has not been particularly sharp in recent weeks, so he will get a couple extra days to rest before getting back up on the bump. It remains to be seen who will start Thursday in Sale's place. |
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| Sep 9 2023 | Sale (6-4) took the loss Saturday, allowing seven runs on six hits and two walks over four innings against Baltimore. He struck out five. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran lefty was plagued by the long ball, serving up a three-run homer to Aaron Hicks in the second inning and a two-run shot to James McCann in the fourth. Sale had been solid in his previous five starts after returning from injury Aug. 11, posting a 4.18 ERA and 1.10 WHIP while looking like his old self in the strikeout department with 11.4 K/9 across 23.2 innings during that span. However, Saturday's poor effort raised the southpaw's season-long ERA to 4.88, the highest of his 13-year career. Sale will aim to regain his form in his next outing, tentatively scheduled against the Yankees at home next week. |
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| Sep 4 2023 | Sale (6-3) earned the win Sunday, allowing two hits and two walks over five scoreless innings against Kansas City. He struck out five. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Though Sale was unable to go deep enough to claim a quality start, he managed to pick up his fifth win of the season after holding the Royals scoreless across five frames. The outing was a strong bounce-back performance for the veteran after surrendering seven runs across his previous two starts (9.2 innings). Sale will look to keep the ball rolling in his next appearance, which is tentatively scheduled to come during a three-game home series against the Orioles this weekend. |
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| Aug 28 2023 | Sale allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks over 4.2 innings in Monday's loss to Houston. He struck out six and did not factor in the decision. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale failed to complete five innings for the third time since returning from the injured list Aug. 11. During that span, he's registered a 5.30 ERA across 18.2 frames in four starts. He's now sporting a 4.75 ERA with a 96:21 K:BB through 15 outings. Sale's next start is lined up to be in Kansas City this weekend. |
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| Aug 23 2023 | Sale allowed four runs on six hits and a walk while striking out nine over five innings in a no-decision versus the Astros on Wednesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale built up to 80 pitches (53 strikes) in his third start back from a shoulder injury. While the surface numbers were unimpressive -- though also against the toughest opponent he's faced since his return -- his velocity rebounded to an average of 93.9 mph on his fastball after it sat at 91.8 mph last Thursday. The southpaw is at a 4.68 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 90:19 K:BB through 73 innings across 14 starts this season, and his pitch count Wednesday suggests he's close to shedding any workload restrictions. His next projected start is expected to be a rematch with the Astros at home early next week. |
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| Aug 18 2023 | Sale averaged 91.8 mph on his fastball Thursday, down significantly from the 94.5 mph he flashed in his first start off the injured list last Friday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Neither Sale nor manager Alex Cora were overly concerned. The pitcher was pleased he was able to fight through the diminished velo and made pitches when he had to. The left-hander wasn't fully built up when he started last week and was pulled after 58 pitches. On Thursday, he got up to 65 pitches when Cora pulled him in the fifth inning after Sale gave up a pair of walks. |
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| Aug 11 2023 | Sale allowed two runs on one hit over 4.2 innings in Friday's win over Detroit. He struck out seven and did not factor in the decision. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale looked strong in his first start since June 1, tossing four shutout frames before the Tigers broke through in the fifth inning. He threw 42 of 58 pitches for strikes, including 12 whiffs. Over his last seven starts, the 34-year-old southpaw has posted a 2.43 ERA with a terrific 48:5 K:BB across 40.2 frames. Sale should have a longer leash in his next start, which is lined up to be next week in Washington. |
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| Aug 10 2023 | Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Sale (shoulder) will be limited to around four innings in his return to the rotation Friday versus the Tigers, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale has been out since early June due to a stress reaction in his left scapula and threw only 35 and 54 pitches, respectively, in his two rehab starts with Triple-A Worcester. He looked sharp during that stint on the farm, though, tallying 10 strikeouts across 6.1 scoreless frames. The 34-year-old southpaw will have to continue building up on the fly, but he can maybe help Boston attempt to stage a late charge in the AL Wild Card standings. |
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| Aug 7 2023 | Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Monday that Sale (shoulder) will likely be activated from the 60-day injured list to start Friday's game against the Tigers at Fenway Park, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale built up to just 53 pitches over his two rehab starts with Triple-A Worcester, but the Red Sox won't have the veteran southpaw waste any more bullets in the minors after he was electric in his most recent outing Sunday, when he struck out seven and walked none over 4.1 scoreless frames. Since he's not yet fully stretched out for a traditional starting role, Sale could be capped at around 70-to-80 pitches Friday and may be deployed in tandem with another pitcher, but he could still have a long enough leash to hit the five innings he needs to qualify for a win. Sale's upcoming start will be his first with the Red Sox since June 1 after a two-plus-month recovery from a stress reaction in his left scupla. |
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| Aug 6 2023 | Sale (shoulder) threw 53 pitches over 4.1 scoreless innings during his rehab start with Triple-A Worcester on Sunday. He struck out seven and allowed three hits and issued no walks. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran left-hander threw 40 pitches across two frames during his first rehab outing last week, and he continued ramping up his workload Sunday. The Red Sox haven't officially indicated when Sale will return from the 60-day injured list and rejoin the big-league rotation, but he could do so as early as next weekend against the Tigers. If activated during the upcoming week, Sale will likely be on a limited pitch count in his first start and could be piggybacked by a reliever. |
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| Aug 2 2023 | Sale (shoulder) is scheduled to make his next rehab start Sunday with Triple-A Worcester, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale battled some command issues in his rehab debut Tuesday with Worcester, yielding two walks over two innings, but he gave up only one hit and didn't allow a run while striking out three of the nine batters he faced. Out since early June due to a stress reaction in his left scapula, the veteran left-hander is tracking toward a return to the Red Sox rotation around the weekend of Aug. 11. |
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| Jul 30 2023 | Sale (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale is scheduled to pitch three innings for the WooSox, then make a second rehab start the following Sunday. At that point the Red Sox will reassess the left-hander and decide on the next step. It's possible Sale could rejoin Boston's rotation as soon as the team's series against the Tigers, which begins Friday, Aug. 11. Red Sox manager Alex Cora previously stated the club is considering bringing Sale back before he's completely built up. If he does return for the series with the Tigers, Sale could be used as an opener who would go three or four innings, then pitch deeper into games as he builds arm strength. |
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| Jul 26 2023 | Sale (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday if he gets through Thursday's live batting practice session with no issues, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The live BP session will come after Sale completed another bullpen session over the weekend. The Red Sox have discussed the possibility of bringing the left-hander back early and have him build back up at the big-league level, so it's possible he could make just the one rehab start. Sale has been out since early June with a stress reaction in his left scapula. |
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| Jul 25 2023 | Sale (shoulder) could be ready to begin a rehab assignment next week, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale will throw an up-and-down bullpen session Thursday at Triple-A Worcester and, assuming that goes well, could be cleared to start pitching in rehab games next. McCaffrey notes that the Red Sox are considering bringing Sale back from the injured list early and having him build up his stamina while in the majors. Sale is eligible for activation Aug. 1, but it seems as if he would need at least a few more days than that. He's been out since early June with a stress reaction in his left scapula. |
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| Jul 19 2023 | Sale (shoulder) will throw another bullpen session this weekend, Mike Monaco of ESPN reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He threw a bullpen session Tuesday, his first since down with a stress reaction in his left scapula. Sale will likely need two live batting practices after that before eventually progressing to a rehab assignment. The veteran left-hander is tracking toward a return to the Red Sox rotation by early August, although he still has some hurdles to clear in order for that to happen. |
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| Jul 14 2023 | Sale (shoulder) will throw his first bullpen session Tuesday, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This will mark his first time throwing off a mound since the night he got injured June 1. Sale has been throwing off flat ground every other day and is tracking toward a possible return in early-August. |
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| Jul 4 2023 | Sale (shoulder) is on an every-other-day throwing program and is feeling good, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was first cleared to resume throwing last Thursday and has tossed a couple more times since then. He's working his way back from a stress reaction in his left scapula and isn't eligible for activation for another month, but things are moving in the right direction, slowly but surely. |
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| Jun 29 2023 | Sale (shoulder) was cleared to begin a throwing program Thursday after getting encouraging results from an MRI, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale is just three weeks removed from being diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left scapula, but he's pain-free and able to pick up a ball again. The left-hander will now start the slow build-up process toward a return to the mound, which the Red Sox hope can come in early August, when he's first eligible to be activated from the 60-day IL. |
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| Jun 28 2023 | Sale will undergo an MRI on his left shoulder Thursday, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was diagnosed Friday with a stress reaction in his left scapula, and the imaging will help determine the severity of the injury. The left-handed hurler is currently on the 60-day injured list and he isn't eligible to return until the early portion of August, but a more concrete timeline should be available after the results of the MRI are made public. |
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| Jun 9 2023 | Sale has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left scapula, Sean McAdam of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The injury to the scapula -- which is more commonly referred to as the shoulder blade -- will not require surgery, but Sale will be shut down for at least 3-4 weeks. The veteran southpaw was transferred to the 60-day injured list earlier Friday, a move that means he won't be eligible for activation until Aug. 2. |
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| Jun 2 2023 | Sale was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday with left shoulder inflammation, Tom Caron of NESN reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Red Sox manager Alex Cora confirmed the news of the IL stint on NESN's pregame coverage while expressing hope that it's only a "minor" issue. Sale was pulled from his start Thursday night against the Reds after feeling discomfort in his left shoulder in the top of the fourth inning. He underwent both an MRI and CT scan Friday, the results of which are still being evaluated. It could be a situation where Sale winds up seeking multiple opinions before an official diagnosis is presented. Corey Kluber is back from paternity leave and will presumably take over the vacant spot in Boston's rotation. |
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| Jun 1 2023 | Sale will undergo an MRI on his left shoulder Friday, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was pulled from Thursday's game against Cincinnati due to shoulder soreness and experienced a drop in velocity during his start. The results of his MRI will provide an idea of how long he could be out for, but early signs are concerning. The 34-year-old southpaw held a 2.25 ERA and 0.75 WHIP across his last five starts entering Thursday. |
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| May 26 2023 | Sale (5-2) allowed a run on four hits and a walk while striking out three over five innings to earn the win Friday over the Diamondbacks. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports Sale had been dealing with a previously unreported stomach bug this week, which explains why he was limited to 73 pitches (44 strikes). While it wasn't a long outing, it was effective, marking he fourth time he's limited an opponent to one run this season. The veteran southpaw has trimmed his ERA to 4.72 with a 1.16 WHIP and 65:14 K:BB through 55.1 innings over 10 starts. He should be back to normal by the time he next takes the mound, which is tentatively scheduled for a home start versus the Reds next week. |
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| May 20 2023 | Sale (4-2) earned the win Saturday over the Padres, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out eight over seven innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale put in his fourth straight quality start, and the three hits allowed matched his season low. Two of those hits were home runs, but they were solo shots by Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis. Just nine starts into 2023, Sale has already covered more innings (50.1) than he did in the three previous years combined (48.1). He's starting to look more like his past self, as Saturday's outing lowered his season ERA to 5.01 with a 1.17 WHIP and 62:13 K:BB. He'll look to keep rolling in a projected road start versus Arizona next week. |
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| May 13 2023 | Sale did not factor into the decision Saturday, allowing one run on three hits and one walk over eight innings against St. Louis. He struck out nine. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale turned back the clock Saturday, giving up one run across eight innings while approaching his season high in strikeouts (11). The lone blemish for Sale came in the seventh frame, where Nolan Arenado tagged him for a solo home run. However, Sale's chances for a victory were ruined by Kenley Jansen, who walked a trio of batters and blew a 3-1 lead in the top of the ninth inning. Though Sale holds a 5.40 ERA, which would be a career-high, he has provided fantasy managers with a high strikeout rate (11.3 K/9) to offset the struggles with damage control. |
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| May 6 2023 | Sale (3-2) earned the win Friday, allowing three runs on seven hits and one walk over six innings during a 5-3 victory over the Phillies. He struck out 10. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale has allowed five or more runs in three of his seven outings this season, but he also has three quality starts and two games with double-digit strikeouts. The left-hander's 6.37 ERA remains inflated due to the seven runs he allowed in his first appearance of the year, but he's surrendered just four runs over his past 12.1 innings and earned the win in back-to-back starts. Sale will look to stay sharp next time out, which is tentatively scheduled for a three-game weekend set versus the Cardinals. |
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| Apr 30 2023 | Sale (2-2) earned the win Sunday, allowing one run on three hits over 6.1 innings against the Guardians. He struck out five. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It was an encouraging performance from Sale after he allowed seven runs in three innings in his last outing against Baltimore. The veteran left-hander kept the Guardians off the board until Amed Rosario's RBI single in the sixth inning. Sale's ERA still sits at an unsightly 6.75 with a 1.47 WHIP and 35:10 K:BB. He'll look to build on Sunday's positive outing in his next start, tentatively lined up for next week in Philadelphia. |
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| Apr 6 2023 | Sale (1-0) allowed three earned runs on four hits and three walks while striking out seven across five innings to earn the win Thursday against the Tigers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale looked to be in for a poor outing after serving up a two-run homer in the second inning and surrendering an additional run one frame later. However, he closed the outing well and picked up 10 swinging strikes across 74 total pitches to go along with six groundball outs. Sale wasn't dominant, but the effort was a significant step forward for the seven earned runs he allowed in his initial outing of the new campaign. |
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| Apr 1 2023 | Sale allowed seven runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out six over three innings, taking a no-decision Saturday against the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale gave up two homers to Ryan Mountcastle and Austin Hays in the first, and another in the third to Cedric Mullins. It's a disappointing first outing for Sale that showed that he can still miss bats, but the command was well below-average for the former Cy Young winner. He'll get a chance to rebound next weekend against the Tigers in Detroit. |
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| Mar 12 2023 | Sale allowed one hit and struck out five over three scoreless innings in Saturday's start against the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale, who made his second Grapefruit League start, reached 95 mph on his fastball, per Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe, and has looked every bit the ace of a staff. He hit 96 mph in his first outing. The left-hander's struck out seven over five scoreless spring innings. Despite looking like a staff ace, Sale is not expected to take the ball Opening Day, as Corey Kluber's spring routine has him lined up for that honor. Sale will next pitch four innings on the back fields Thursday, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. |
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| Mar 1 2023 | Sale (wrist) is officially scheduled to make his Grapefruit League debut Monday versus the Tigers, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale threw a successful live batting practice session Wednesday and is now ready for a taste of real competition. The 33-year-old left-hander was limited to 5.2 major-league innings (two starts) last season due to a range of different injuries, but he entered this spring with zero limitations and might just be ready to return to ace-like status in 2023. |
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| Feb 26 2023 | Sale (wrist) threw a simulated inning against live batters Saturday and came away with no issues, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale threw 23 pitches and avoided hard contact. He said there were command issues against one batter, but Sale was largely pleased with the results, particularly the shape of his breaking ball. The lanky left-hander was limited to two starts last year amid a number of injuries. He sustained a rib injury during a bullpen session in February, then suffered a broken pinkie finger against the Yankees in July followed by a wrist injury in an August bicycle accident. Next up for Sale is a two-inning live bullpen session Thursday before making his spring debut after that. |
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| Feb 24 2023 | Sale (wrist) is tentatively scheduled to make his Grapefruit League debut March 7 against the Braves, Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale first needs to check a few more boxes by getting through a one-inning live batting practice session this Saturday and then a two-inning live BP round next Thursday. The 33-year-old left-hander logged only 5.2 major-league innings in 2022 due to a fractured wrist, a fractured finger and a stress reaction in his ribcage, but early reports from Red Sox camp have all been encouraging. He could wind up being a big-time value pick in fantasy drafts for 2023. |
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| Feb 21 2023 | Sale (wrist) will throw live batting practice Saturday, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale threw another bullpen session Tuesday and will face hitters for the first time in camp this weekend. The veteran left-hander missed most of the 2022 season with a stress fracture in his ribcage, a fractured finger and a fractured wrist, but all appears to be good with Sale so far this spring. It's not clear when he might make his Grapefruit League debut, but the expectation is that he'll be ready for Opening Day. |
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| Feb 15 2023 | Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Wednesday that it's "realistic" that Sale (wrist) will be ready to go for Opening Day, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Cora's comments came after Sale threw his first bullpen session of the spring Wednesday and apparently checked out fine. Sale, who is scheduled to throw another side session Saturday, looks as though he'll be going through a relatively normal throwing progression this spring, despite ending the 2022 campaign on the shelf due to a fractured right wrist that he had surgically repaired. The Red Sox are still likely to proceed cautiously with the southpaw this spring due to his injury history and veteran status, so he may not immediately be worked into Grapefruit League rotation like some of the other pitchers who are competing for roster spots and/or starting roles in camp. |
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| Jan 20 2023 | Sale (wrist) has begun throwing off the mound, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale broke his wrist in a bicycling accident in August, and was limited to just two appearances in the 2022 season. The left-hander has dealt with injuries over the few years, but if healthy, still offers the potential to miss bats when on the mound. |
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| Nov 1 2022 | Sale (wrist) opted into the final two years of his five-year, $145 million contract Tuesday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: If Sale had been healthy over the first few years of his deal, he may have decided to head back to the open market ahead of his age-34 season, but he simply hasn't been able to stay on the field. He's only made 11 total starts through the first three years of his contract, with Tommy John surgery wiping out all of his 2020 season and most of 2021 before a series of injuries limited him to just two outings in 2022. He's expected to be recovered from wrist surgery (on his non-throwing arm) by spring training and will attempt to be a much more significant contributor next season. |
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| Aug 13 2022 | Sale (wrist) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The transaction has no bearing on Sale's return timeline, as he's already been ruled out for the year after breaking his wrist in a bicycle accident. The move clears space on the 40-man roster for Boston to select Jeurys Familia's contract. |
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| Aug 9 2022 | The Red Sox announced that Sale (finger) underwent season-ending surgery Monday to repair a fractured right wrist, which he suffered in a bicycle accident over the weekend. The team expects him to be a full participant for the start of spring training. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The broken wrist is the latest in a growing list of long-term injuries for Sale, whose availability for the remainder of the 2022 campaign had already been in question after he underwent surgery July 18 to repair a broken left pinkie finger. Sale's rehab for the broken wrist now becomes the more pressing concern, but if there's any positive takeaway, it's that the injury is to his non-throwing arm, and he should have plenty of time to make a full recovery before he reports to the Red Sox's spring training facility next February. Because Sale is still due $75 million over the next three years, he's unlikely to exercise the opt-out clause in his contract this winter after injuries have limited him to just 57.1 regular-season and playoff innings with Boston since the start of the 2020 season. |
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| Aug 6 2022 | Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Sale played catch Friday for the first time since undergoing surgery on his broken pinkie finger. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale underwent surgery July 18, a procedure described as "an open reduction and internal fixation of a left fifth finger proximal phalarix fracture." The club has not given a timetable for his return. |
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| Jul 22 2022 | Sale (finger) was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was diagnosed with a broken left pinky finger Monday and has been ruled out for at least a month. Given that news, his move to the injured list was a formality to clear a roster spot. Brayan Bello was recalled from Triple-A Worcester in the corresponding move. |
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| Jul 18 2022 | Sale underwent surgery on his broken left pinky finger Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale suffered a left fifth finger proximal phalanx fracture after being hit by a comebacker in the first inning Sunday against the Yankees. In other words, he broke his left pinky finger and will now be out at least a month following surgery. Sale believes he will pitch again this season and we're yet to see an official timeline from the Red Sox. Nonetheless, the left-hander won't likely be fantasy relevant until early September at the soonest. Truly a tough blow for the fantasy owners who had stashed him since the beginning of the season. |
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| Jul 17 2022 | Sale (finger) will see a specialist in Boston on Sunday or Monday and is confident he will pitch again this season, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Red Sox didn't offer up a timetable for Sale, who was removed in the first inning of his start Sunday against the Yankees with a fractured left pinkie finger. Sale offered up a personal 4-to-6-week recovery timetable, though the typical timeline for this kind of injury is 6-to-8 weeks. While Sale's season may not be over, fantasy managers in shallower leagues without injured list spots may not be able to justify stashing him. |
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| Jul 12 2022 | Sale struck out five in five scoreless innings while allowing three hits and a walk in a 3-2 loss Tuesday in Tampa Bay. He did not factor into the decision. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: In his season debut for the Red Sox, Sale scattered three hits and a walk and tossed 53 of his 78 pitches for strikes. He left the game with a 2-0 lead but the Red Sox bullpen allowed three runs in the sixth, denying Sale the opportunity to earn the win. The lefty was reportedly capped at 85 pitches so it's no surprise he was pulled after five. While the Red Sox have not yet made an official announcement on the weekend's starters, it's possible Sale could start Sunday against the Yankees. |
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| Jul 8 2022 | Sale (rib) has been officially announced as the starter for Tuesday's game against Tampa Bay, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale is finally ready to go after missing the first half of the season with a stress fracture in his rib cage. He was shaky in his final rehab outing, walking five batters in 3.2 innings of work, but the Red Sox nonetheless decided he's ready for his season debut. Expect some workload limitations early on in his return, however, given that he topped out at four innings across his four rehab appearances. |
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| Jul 7 2022 | Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that Sale (rib) will likely be activated from the 60-day injured list to start Tuesday's game at Tampa Bay, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. "He'll pitch Tuesday. Somewhere, he'll pitch Tuesday, but there's a good chance he'll pitch with us," Cora said. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Cora still left the door open a crack for Sale's next outing to come in the minors, but all signs point to the southpaw slotting back into the Boston rotation next week for what would be his first appearance with the big club since the 2021 postseason. He didn't make a start in spring training after suffering a stress fracture on the right side of his rib cage in a mid-March throwing session, but the 33-year-old looks to be healthy again after a nearly four-month layoff. Though Sale was far from sharp in his fourth rehab outing with Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday -- he issued five walks in 3.2 innings -- he still struck out five batters and built up to 77 pitches. Assuming he's activated for Tuesday's game, Sale should face only a light restriction with his workload. |
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| Jul 6 2022 | Sale (rib) worked 3.2 innings Wednesday in his rehab start for Triple-A Worcester, striking out five while allowing one earned run on three hits and five walks. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Heading into the night, Sale was targeting a 4-to-5-inning appearance for the fourth start of his rehab assignment, but the five free passes foiled those plans. Even so, Sale still managed to get stretched out a bit more, as he tossed 72 pitches (42 strikes) Wednesday after throwing 52 pitches in his previous outing. Though Sale's results were less than ideal, the Red Sox may still be comfortable enough bringing him back from the 60-day injured list after a lengthy layoff. He could be activated as soon as Monday's series opener in Tampa Bay. |
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| Jul 1 2022 | Sale (ribs) will make a rehab start with Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Red Sox hope Sale, who completed four innings in Thursday's start at Double-A, gets through five frames next time out. If so, he could make his 2022 debut as soon as July 11 in Tampa Bay. Sale's been touching the mid-90s with his fastball during the rehab assignment, which is a promising sign as he nears activation from the 60-day injured list. |
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| Jun 30 2022 | Sale (ribs) allowed one earned run on four hits while striking out seven across four innings in his rehab appearance with Double-A Portland on Thursday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was scheduled to throw three innings, but he got in some extra work and brought his pitch count up to 52. Per Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe, Sale will participate in at least one more rehab appearance with the goal of working five innings while throwing roughly 65 to 70 pitches. If that goes according to plan, Sale could rejoin the Red Sox on July 10 or 11. |
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| Jun 27 2022 | Sale (rib cage) will throw three innings in a rehab start for Double-A Portland on Thursday, Henry Palattella of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale made two rehab starts for Boston's affiliate in the Florida Complex League, most recently throwing 2.2 innings Saturday. The lefty will return to Boston for a bullpen session Monday before heading north to Portland (Maine). It looks like Sale is being prepped to be part of Boston's roster after the All-Star break. |
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| Jun 26 2022 | Sale (rib cage) allowed three hits and no walks while striking out six over 2.2 scoreless innings in a rehab start for the Florida Complex League Red Sox on Saturday, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale built up innings during his second FCL start after throwing one frame last Monday. The fastball was between 92 and 96 mph. Next up for the left-hander is a bullpen session in Florida followed by a third rehab start at Double-A Portland, according to Red Sox manager Alex Cora. If he remains on a five-day schedule, Sale would start for the Sea Dogs on Thursday. A fourth rehab start could come at Triple-A Worcester, which is at home the following week. |
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| Jun 21 2022 | Sale (rib cage) is expected to make his next rehab start Saturday for the Red Sox's rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale felt fine after tossing a 22-pitch inning in his 2022 debut with the FCL club Monday, and assuming he comes out of his between-starts bullpen session no worse for the wear, he'll be back on the mound this weekend in Florida. Expect the southpaw to push for around 2-to-3 innings Saturday while the Red Sox have him steadily build up to a starter's workload. After his second outing in the FCL, Sale is expected to report to a full-season affiliate to continue his rehab assignment. |
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| Jun 17 2022 | Sale (ribs) will begin a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League on Monday, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale has been out all year while recovering from a stress fracture in his right rib cage. The Red Sox went back and forth on whether he'd be best served returning as a starter or reliever but eventually decided that a return to his starting role would be best. That means he'll need quite a long rehab process, which may keep him out until sometime around the All-Star break. |
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| Jun 15 2022 | Manager Alex Cora said Wednesday that the Red Sox envision Sale (rib cage) serving in a starting role once he's reinstated from the 60-day injured list, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Rumors percolated earlier this month that Sale could be brought back as a reliever in order to speed up his return from the IL, but comments from pitching coach Dave Bush and now Cora have seemingly ended any speculation about the southpaw filling a bullpen role. Assuming that's the case, Sale will likely require a few weeks of ramp-up time via simulated games and a minor-league rehab assignment before he makes his 2022 debut for the Red Sox. According to Ian Browne of MLB.com, Sale is scheduled to throw two simulated innings at Fenway Park on Thursday, and if all goes well, he could report to a minor-league affiliate early next week. |
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| Jun 14 2022 | Pitching coach Dave Bush said Tuesday that Sale (rib cage) will throw multiple live batting practices or simulated games during the Red Sox's homestand that runs through June 22 before potentially heading out on a minor-league rehab assignment, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. "Ideally, he'll be back as a starter," Bush said, when asked about the Red Sox's plans for Sale once he returns from the 60-day injured list. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: On the mend since mid-March from a stress fracture of his right rib cage, Sale looks to be nearing the finish line in his lengthy rehab program. According to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, Sale touched 96 miles per hour during his most recent live throwing session Monday, but he'll still need to show he can command and control all of his pitches as he builds up again. Bush's comments about the Red Sox ideally bringing Sale back as a starter would seem to run counter to a report last week from Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic that suggested the lefty could rejoin Boston as a multi-inning relief option as a means of expediting his return from the active roster. A move to the bullpen doesn't sound like it's being dismissed yet, but the Red Sox may prefer to wait and see how Sale fares during his rehab assignment before a decision is made on his role. |
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| Jun 11 2022 | Sale (ribs) will throw to live batters for the first time Monday in Fort Myers (Fla.), Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale completed a bullpen session Friday and is ready for the next challenge in his return to the major-league roster. It is presumed Sale will need a few live-batter sessions before heading out on a rehab assignment. |
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| Jun 10 2022 | The Red Sox will consider utilizing Sale (ribs) out of the bullpen to help expedite his return to the major-league roster, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Returning as a reliever would cut down Sale's return timeline, as he wouldn't need to be fully built up to a starter's workload before being activated. The left-hander has yet to face live hitters but could do so next week, and how that session goes should go a long way toward determining the next steps in his rehab program. Sale's bullpen sessions to this point have been limited to about 25 pitches, so he'll need a significant period to continue ramping up if Boston opts to immediate re-insert him into the starting rotation. |
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| Jun 8 2022 | Sale (ribs) is scheduled to throw another bullpen session Friday before progressing to live batting practice next week, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran left-hander originally lined up for live batting practice Friday, but things were pushed back a few days due to a stomach bug. Sale has been slowly ramping up his bullpen sessions over the past couple weeks, and advancing to face live hitters will represent a significant step in his rehab program. |
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| Jun 7 2022 | Sale (ribs) had his bullpen session pushed back from Tuesday to Wednesday due to a stomach bug, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It's only a temporary setback, so the left-hander is expected to quickly be back on the mound. Sale was previously on track to throw a live batting practice session Friday, assuming the bullpen goes well, but the live BP will now be pushed into later in the weekend. |
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| Jun 5 2022 | Sale (ribs) will throw another bullpen session Tuesday and then "hopefully" a live batting practice session Friday, according to manager Alex Cora, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale threw a 25-pitch bullpen session Saturday. It continues to be a gradual buildup for the veteran southpaw. We'll know if he's progressing as expected based on whether he can throw the live batting practice session Friday. |
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| Jun 4 2022 | Sale (ribs) threw a 25-pitch bullpen session Saturday, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale didn't face any issues after throwing 25 pitches off a mound Wednesday, and he replicated that throwing session Saturday. Assuming he feels good following Saturday's bullpen, the southpaw could progress to facing live hitters next week. The 33-year-old will presumably require a rehab assignment at some point, but it's not yet clear how many minor-league outings he'll require prior to rejoining the Red Sox. |
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| Jun 3 2022 | Sale (ribs) could face hitters next week, Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He has thrown a string of bullpen sessions this week and will throw another one this weekend before potentially ramping up his throwing program. It's unclear how many rehab outings he will need before returning from the injured list. |
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| Jun 1 2022 | Sale (ribs) threw a 25-pitch bullpen session Wednesday with no issues, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 33-year-old continues to throw regular side sessions, and he's scheduled to take the mound again Friday before potentially advancing to face live batters. Assuming he's cleared to pitch against hitters after Friday's session, Sale could soon begin a minor-league rehab assignment. |
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| May 31 2022 | Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Tuesday that Sale (ribcage) will throw at least two more bullpen sessions before the team maps out a rehab assignment for the lefty, Steve Hewitt of the Boston Herald reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale threw his most recent side session Monday, so he'll likely rest for another day or two before getting back on the mound again. The 33-year-old has felt well physically since he resumed throwing in mid-May, but he'll still likely need at least a few more weeks to build up his pitch count before he's ready to return from the 60-day injured list. |
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| May 27 2022 | Sale (ribs) threw 22-25 pitches during a bullpen session Friday, Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale threw a 15-pitch bullpen session Tuesday while mixing in all of his pitch types, and he increased his pitch count Friday. The southpaw is scheduled to throw three bullpen sessions next week, and the team is hoping he'll be able to begin a rehab assignment the week after that. However, the Red Sox will wait to make a firm decision on that timetable until they see how he feels following his throwing sessions next week. |
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| May 24 2022 | Sale (ribs) completed a 15-pitch bullpen session Tuesday and incorporated mixed in all his pitch types, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran left-hander is scheduled for another bullpen session Friday and is expected to throw up to 25 pitches. Sale will likely throw another bullpen after that before progressing to live batting practice, which could be the final hurdle before beginning a minor-league rehab assignment. |
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| May 21 2022 | Sale (ribs) threw a 15-pitch bullpen session Thursday, Steve Hewitt of the Boston Herald reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale resumed playing catch Monday, and Thursday's throwing session marked the first time he had pitched off a mound since suffering a setback in early May. After dealing with a non-baseball medical issue earlier in the month, the southpaw will shift his focus toward building back up now that he's been cleared to throw bullpens. |
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| May 16 2022 | Sale (ribs) resumed playing catch Monday, Steve Hewitt of the Boston Herald reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale had been tracking toward a return from the 60-day injured list when first eligible in early June, but he was sidetracked by a non-baseball medical issue in early May. The setback reportedly delayed his timeline by a few weeks, but he's seemingly back on the right track now. |
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| May 12 2022 | Boston general manager Chaim Bloom said Wednesday it will be a matter of days, not weeks, before Sale (ribs) resumes throwing, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Bloom added that the Red Sox do not have a date for when Sale will resume his throwing program. The left-hander recently experienced a non-baseball medical issue that forced him to take a pause from throwing. |
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| May 7 2022 | Sale (ribs) is behind schedule by a few weeks after dealing with a non-baseball medical issue, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale has been out all season with a stress fracture in his ribcage. He was tracking toward returning when first eligible in early June, but a return in late June now seems more reasonable. The exact nature of his medical issue is unclear, but it was enough to pause his throwing progression. He seems to be nearly over the issue now, however, as he's expected to resume throwing soon. |
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| Apr 15 2022 | Sale (ribs) played catch prior to Friday's game against Minnesota, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale has been sidelined since the start of spring training due to a stress fracture on the right side of his ribcage, but it's encouraging that he's now able to begin a throwing program. The southpaw is on the 60-day injured list and won't be eligible to appear in major-league games until at least early June. He said Friday that he's thrown approximately five times in the last week but doesn't yet have a timetable to begin mound work. |
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| Apr 5 2022 | Sale (ribs) is expected to begin throwing next week, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale came into camp with a stress fracture in the right side of his rib cage. His previously ambiguous timeline was given some clarity Monday when the Red Sox placed him on the 60-day injured list. He'll now be ineligible to return before early June, giving the back end of the team's rotation some extra job security to start the year. |
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| Apr 4 2022 | Sale (ribs) was placed on the 60-day injured list Monday, Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale had yet to resume throwing after an MRI revealed a stress fracture in his right rib cage and didn't have a clear return timeline. This transaction gives at least some clarity in that area, as he'll now be unable to return before early June. Whether or not he's expected to be ready to go as soon as possible is unclear. The move means that Tanner Houck, Michael Wacha and Rich Hill all have safe rotation spots for the early part of the year. |
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| Apr 2 2022 | Sale (ribs) said Saturday that he feels good physically but hasn't yet been cleared to resume throwing, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale expects that he'll be cleared to throw relatively soon, and he also said he doesn't expect to need a full allotment of time to build up since he was able to throw early in camp. Although the southpaw's updates Saturday provide some encouragement, a better idea of his return timetable is unlikely to come into focus until he officially resumes throwing. |
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| Mar 31 2022 | Sale (ribs) was scheduled to undergo a pre-planned MRI on Thursday, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The MRI isn't the result of any setback in his recovery from a stress fracture on the right side of his rib cage; instead, Sale is being sent in for imaging so he and the Red Sox can assess how much his ribs have healed since he was shut down in mid-March. If the imaging shows the desired improvement, Sale could resume throwing before the end of camp, though he'll stick around at extended spring training in any case while he opens the season on the injured list. |
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| Mar 29 2022 | Sale (rib) is feeling much better and will start throwing early next week, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale came into camp nursing a stress fracture on the right side of his ribcage. He'll miss the start of the season but doesn't have a clear timetable for his return, with previous reports speculating that early May might be when he makes his season debut. More clarity should emerge once the Red Sox get to see how his body responds to throwing. |
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| Mar 24 2022 | The Red Sox have not yet set a timetable for Sale (rib) to resume throwing, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale sustained a stress fracture to his right rib cage in February and remains sidelined. Browne indicated injuries of this nature often take 6-to-8 weeks to heal, which means the left-hander may not resume throwing for another couple of weeks. At this point, projecting a date for Sale to take the mound in game action is simply guesswork. Browne believes Sale won't pitch for the Red Sox in a major-league game before May. |
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| Mar 16 2022 | Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said Wednesday that Sale will be out for the start of the season after suffered a stress fracture on the right side of his ribcage, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: According to Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald, Bloom said Sale picked up the injury while he was recently throwing a live batting practice session at his alma mater, Florida Gulf Coast. Though Sale has reportedly shown improvement since arriving at Red Sox camp once the lockout concluded, he won't have enough time to fully recover from the injury and stay on track in his buildup program before the season begins April 7. Nathan Eovaldi is thus positioned to get the Opening Day in place of Sale, whose target timeline for a return likely won't become clear until he resumes throwing again. |
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| Oct 21 2021 | Sale allowed four runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks while striking out seven batters in 5.1 innings in Game 5 of the ALCS against the Astros on Wednesday. He was saddled with the loss. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The whiffs were there for Sale, and he actually pitched quite well through his first five frames, allowing nothing more than a second-inning solo shot by Yordan Alvarez. Everything unraveled in the sixth inning, however, when he started to face Houston's best bats for the third time. A walk and an error to start the frame put him in trouble right away, and he was eventually pulled after allowing a two-RBI double by Yordan Alvarez, who would later come around to score himself. It hasn't been a postseason to remember for the veteran lefty, who's only thrown nine innings across his three starts and owns an 8.00 ERA. |
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| Oct 19 2021 | Sale will start Game 5 of the ALCS against the Astros on Wednesday unless he's needed in relief for Tuesday's Game 4 matchup, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While Sale is technically available out of the bullpen Tuesday, the Red Sox would likely much prefer for him to handle multiple innings at the start of Wednesday's contest. He's had a limited role in his two playoff starts thus far this year, lasting a combined 3.2 innings while allowing six runs on nine hits. |
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| Oct 16 2021 | Sale allowed one run on five hits and a walk while striking out two in 2.2 innings in Friday's loss to the Astros in Game 1 of the ALCS. He didn't factor into the decision. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale gave up a run in the bottom of the first inning Friday but held the Astros scoreless during the remainder of his outing. He's made two starts since the postseason began and has posted a 14.73 ERA and 3.00 WHIP in 3.2 innings. The southpaw tentatively lines up to make his next start at home in Game 5 on Wednesday, but he could be available sooner since he threw just 61 pitches in Game 1. |
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| Oct 14 2021 | Sale will start Game 1 of the ALCS against the Astros on Friday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale struggled in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Rays and allowed five runs on four hits and a walk while striking out two in one inning. However, the southpaw will still take the mound to begin the ALCS, while Nate Eovaldi will start Game 2 on Saturday. |
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| Oct 10 2021 | Manager Alex Cora said Sale will be available out of the bullpen for Game 3 of the ALDS against the Rays on Sunday, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale surrendered five runs in one frame during his Game 2 start Friday, and he'll be available as a reliever two days later since he threw only 30 pitches in that outing. Eduardo Rodriguez already lined up as the starter for a potential Game 5 on Wednesday, so working out of the bullpen shouldn't affect Sale's next turn through the rotation, which was already likely to come in the ALCS, should the Red Sox advance. |
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| Oct 9 2021 | Sale allowed five runs on four hits and a walk while striking out two in one inning during Friday's win over the Rays in Game 2 of the ALDS. He didn't factor into the decision. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Red Sox gave Sale two runs of support in the top of the first inning, but the team's lead was erased when the Rays totaled five runs in the bottom half of the frame. The left-hander has allowed at least two runs in each of his last four appearances but could make an appearance later in the ALDS given the brevity of Friday's start. |
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| Oct 7 2021 | Sale has been added to Boston's ALDS roster, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale wasn't on the wild-card roster after he started Sunday's regular-season finale, but it's not surprising to see him on the ALDS roster. The southpaw will start Game 2 against the Rays on Friday. |
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| Oct 5 2021 | Sale is not on Boston's wild-card roster, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Starters pitching out of relief in an elimination game is standard practice, and the Red Sox are prepared to do just that if necessary, as Eduardo Rodriguez, Nick Pivetta and Tanner Houck are all on the squad. Sale just threw 62 pitches in the season finale Sunday against the Nationals, however, so it's understandable that the Red Sox considered him unavailable on one day's rest less than two months into his return from Tommy John surgery. |
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| Oct 3 2021 | Sale gave up two runs on four hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in 2.1 innings, taking a no-decision versus Washington. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With Boston needing a win to clinch a playoff berth, manager Alex Cora was quick to give Sale the hook once he pitched into a jam in the third inning. The southpaw ended the regular season with a 3.16 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 52:12 K:BB in 42.2 innings across nine starts. Should Boston get through Tuesday's AL Wild Card Game versus the Yankees, Sale would line up for a start versus the Rays in the ALDS. |
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| Sep 28 2021 | Sale (5-1) was charged with the loss against the Orioles on Tuesday after surrendering three runs on four hits and a walk while striking out six across 5.1 innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale blanked the Orioles through the first five frames, but trouble struck in the sixth inning when a two-run homer by Ryan Mountcastle blemished the scoreboard. It was the first time all season that the southpaw allowed as many as three runs, leading to his first loss. Sale, who missed the first four months of the season due to Tommy John surgery, has put up solid numbers in his eight appearances, pitching to the tune of a 2.90 ERA and 1.24 WHIP. He'll look to rebound during his next projected start Sunday at Washington. |
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| Sep 22 2021 | Sale (5-0) allowed two runs on six hits and two walks with eight strikeouts over five innings, picking up the win in Wednesday's 12-5 victory over the Mets. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was staked to a sizeable lead early on Wednesday and cruised through five solid innings. He matched his season high with eight strikeouts, including one where he got Javier Baez to swing at a slider that ended up hitting him in the back foot. If you won the race to the waiver wire to add Sale after he spent the first four months of the season on the injured list recovering from Tommy John surgery, congrats. The lanky left-hander has not allowed more than two earned runs in any single outing this season and seems to be just warming up. |
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| Sep 17 2021 | Sale (illness) will be activated from the COVID-19 injured list to start Friday against the Orioles, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: As expected, Sale will rejoin the rotation Friday after testing positive for COVID-19 and missing the past week. Per Koch, manager Alex Cora said the veteran left-hander won't have any specific limitations following the brief absence, and he'll be available to pitch on a regular five-day schedule the rest of the season. |
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| Sep 14 2021 | Sale (illness) is expected to be activated from the COVID-19 list to start Friday against the Orioles, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale tested positive for the virus late last week and was unable to start as scheduled Sunday against the White Sox, but it appears he'll end up missing only one turn through the rotation. Given the brevity of the absence, the veteran left-hander shouldn't face significant workload limitations, assuming he's cleared to start versus Baltimore as expected. |
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| Sep 10 2021 | Sale tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday and will not start Sunday against the White Sox, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The extent of Sale's absence will depend on whether he's vaccinated, a detail that is currently unknown. Garrett Richards or Connor Seabold could be called upon to fill Sale's rotation spot until he recovers from the virus. |
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| Sep 6 2021 | Sale allowed five runs (one earned) on 10 hits and a walk over 3.2 innings in Monday's loss to the Rays. He struck out six and did not factor in the decision. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale escaped the first inning after allowing just one run despite giving up four hits. He then kept the Rays off the board until an ugly fourth inning. Four unearned runs came around to score after a fielding error by Alex Verdugo and a throwing error by Taylor Motter. It was his shortest outing of the year but he managed to lower his ERA to 2.52 through 25 innings. Sale has given up two or fewer earned runs in each of his five starts. He's lined up to face the White Sox on the road this weekend. |
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| Sep 1 2021 | Sale tossed six innings while surrendering two runs on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts in Wednesday's win against the Rays. He did not factor into the game's decision. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The left-hander gave up a two-run homer to Wander Franco in the fourth inning, which ultimately made up the entirety of the damage against him in this one. He has been pretty sharp since returning from the injured list on August 14, going at least five innings in each of his four starts without allowing more than two runs. Sale is 3-0 with a 2.53 ERA over that stretch. His next start projects to be a home matchup against the Rays on Monday. |
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| Aug 29 2021 | Sale is scheduled to make his next start Wednesday against the Rays in Tampa Bay, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was initially lined up to start Tuesday in the second contest of the four-game series, but the Red Sox will instead build in an extra day of rest for him. He's coming off a 5.1-inning, eight-strikeout effort versus the Twins on Aug. 26. Boston will either add a temporary sixth starter to the mix or treat Tuesday's contest as a bullpen game, but regardless, the adjusted pitching schedule means that Sale will miss out on a two-start week. |
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| Aug 26 2021 | Sale (3-0) earned the win Thursday after holding the Twins to two runs on two hits and a pair of walks while striking out eight across 5.1 innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 32-year-old had his command in check Thursday, joining Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax as the only pitchers with three immaculate innings when he struck out the side against the Twins on nine pitches in the third frame. It was Sale's third start since rejoining the rotation following Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss the 2020 season. The southpaw whiffed Nick Gordon, Andrelton Simmons and Rob Refsnyder on three pitches apiece. Meanwhile, he was rewarded with more than enough run support from his hot-hitting teammates to finish off the victory. Sale is projected for a road matchup at Tampa Bay on Tuesday. |
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| Aug 20 2021 | Sale (2-0) allowed five hits and a walk with five strikeouts in five scoreless innings, earning the win Friday over Texas. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While Texas was able to put runners on base, Sale made sure to keep the visitors off the board. He threw 49 of his 71 pitches for strikes, a lighter workload than the 89-pitch effort he recorded in his season debut last Saturday. Boston is likely to be cautious with its ace as he continues to build himself up in his comeback from Tommy John surgery. The southpaw is projected to make his next start versus Minnesota next week. |
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| Aug 14 2021 | Sale (1-0) picked up the win in Saturday's 16-2 rout of the Orioles, allowing two runs on six hits over five innings. He struck out eight without walking a batter. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran lefty came out of the gate firing in his belated season debut and first big-league action in almost exactly two years, tossing 60 of 89 pitches for strikes. Sale did run into a bit of trouble in the third inning, serving up back-to-back solo shots to Austin Hays and Trey Mancini, but Boston had already given its ace six runs of support by that point with plenty more on the way. With two off days coming up next week, the Red Sox will be able to give Sale more than the usual four days of rest, lining up his next start for Aug. 20 in a favorable home matchup against the Rangers. |
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| Aug 8 2021 | Sale (elbow) will be activated from the 60-day injured list to make his season debut for the Red Sox on Aug. 14 against the Orioles, Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran left-hander made his fifth and final rehab start Saturday at Triple-A Worcester and allowed two hits with eight strikeouts and three walks over 4.2 scoreless frames. Sale eclipsed the 80-pitch mark during the rehab assignment, so he shouldn't face significant workload limitations in his first big-league start since 2019, though the Red Sox are likely to remain cautious with his usage to some extent as he returns from Tommy John surgery. |
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| Aug 1 2021 | Sale is scheduled to make the fifth start of his rehab assignment Saturday at Triple-A Worcester, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: In his fourth rehab start overall and first at Worcester on Saturday, Sale was once again impressive. He worked five innings of one-run ball, scattering five hits and a walk while striking out seven in the 81-pitch outing. According to Bill Koch of The Providence Journal, manager Alex Cora said Sunday that Sale "felt great" one day after making the start, but the Red Sox want the left-hander to get in one more tune-up at Triple-A before he makes his long-awaited 2021 debut for Boston. If all goes well in Saturday's start, Sale would tentatively line up to return from the 60-day injured list for the Red Sox's Aug. 12 game against the Rays in Boston. |
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| Jul 26 2021 | Sale (elbow) will make at least two more rehab starts before being activated from the 60-day injured list, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After a few non-arm-related setbacks over the winter, Sale's recovery from Tommy John surgery has gone smoothly for some time now. He's looked good in three rehab starts, allowing just two runs in 10.1 innings of work while striking out 20 and walking just one. He got up to 64 pitches in his most recent outing, so he could get to around 80 for Triple-A Worcester on Saturday. He'll still need at least one more rehab outing after that, which could put him on track to return Aug. 10 against the Rays if he remains on normal rest. |
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| Jul 25 2021 | Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Sunday that Sale (elbow) will make his fourth minor-league rehab start July 31 at Triple-A Worcester, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale will move up to the Red Sox's top affiliate after he completed a second straight start (and the third overall of his rehab assignment) at Double-A Portland on Sunday. He built up to 64 pitches (46 strikes) in the outing, covering 3.2 innings and punching out nine while giving up two runs on six hits and no walks. According to Smith, Sale's fastball topped out at 96 miles per hour during the start, and while he wasn't able to reach four or five innings in the start like the Red Sox had hoped, the fact that the lefty increased his pitch count while generating plenty of swinging strikes is a promising sign of his health. If Sale's velocity and command are on point in his start at Worcester, and if he's able to reach around 80 pitches, he could be cleared to make his 2021 debut for the Red Sox during the first week of August. |
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| Jul 24 2021 | Sale (elbow) is expected to throw four of five innings in his rehab outing with Double-A Portland on Sunday, Steve Hewitt of the Boston Herald reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The outing will mark Sale's third rehab appearance. In his last start, he threw 3.2 innings and built his pitch count up to 49, and he should have the chance to build on that number Sunday. Sale will still likely need at least one or two more additional rehab outings prior to being activated by the Red Sox, though his return from Tommy John surgery remains on track. |
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| Jul 21 2021 | Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Sale (elbow) is scheduled to make his third rehab start at Double-A Portland on Sunday, Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale will stick around in Portland after he turned in another encouraging outing in his second rehab start Tuesday versus Harrisburg. He struck out six and issued one walk over 3.2 no-hit innings, building his pitch count up to 49 (34 strikes) in the process. Sale will likely need two or three more rehab appearances before he's fully ramped up for starting duty with the big club, and the results he's turned in thus far both from a statistical and observational standpoint offer hope that he'll quickly re-emerge as a frontline starter when he returns from the 60-day injured list. According to Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican, Sale's fastball topped out at around 97-to-98 miles per hour Tuesday, and he commanded his full arsenal well. |
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| Jul 15 2021 | Sale (elbow) will likely make his next rehab start at Double-A Portland on Tuesday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale made his first rehab start Thursday with the Red Sox's Florida Complex League affiliate, and he tossed 39 pitches across three innings. His fastball reached 97 mph during the outing, and manager Alex Cora said Thursday that the southpaw will progress to Double-A if he feels good Friday. Sale is expected to require three or four rehab appearances before he's cleared to rejoin the major-league club. |
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| Jul 11 2021 | Sale (elbow) is scheduled to throw a two-inning rehab assignment Thursday with the Red Sox's Florida Complex League affiliate, Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The lefty appeared set to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Worcester during the upcoming week after he tossed a successful simulated game Saturday, but the Red Sox want him to make his 2021 debut in affiliated ball near the team's spring training facility. Assuming Thursday's outing goes well, Sale should begin his assignment at Worcester shortly after the Red Sox reconvene following the All-Star break. Sale is expected to need at least three or four rehab assignments to build up his innings count before the Red Sox sign off on him returning from the 60-day injured list. He could be ready to join Boston around mid-August. |
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| Jul 10 2021 | Sale (elbow) will throw a two-inning simulated game Saturday, Matt Vautour of MassLive.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale's sim game will take place in Fort Myers (Fla.), and the team will evaluate him Sunday before determining the left-hander's next step. If all goes well, Sale could make a rehab start, possibly for Triple-A Worcester, toward the end of next week. |
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| Jul 7 2021 | Pitching coach Dave Bush said Wednesday that Sale (elbow) won't be activated from the 60-day injured list until he's stretched out to throw 5-6 innings, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Red Sox may have considered bringing Sale back after just one or two rehab outings and initially utilize him in shorter appearances, but it sounds like that won't be the case. With that in mind, Sale will likely need three or four starts in the minors before he's ready to return to the Boston rotation, meaning that he's unlikely to be activated until early August. Sale is expected to throw two more innings in a simulated game Saturday before beginning his rehab assignment. |
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| Jul 6 2021 | Sale (elbow) will throw two simulated innings Saturday before likely beginning his rehab assignment, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The lefty's Tuesday session was thought to be his last before heading off to rehab, but he apparently needs a bit more simulated work. The Red Sox have not announced yet which minor-league level Sale will begin his rehab assignment with. |
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| Jul 5 2021 | Sale (elbow) will throw two innings Tuesday in what is expected to be his last session before starting a rehab assignment, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale is expected to begin his assignment at a lower minor-league level rather than going straight to Triple-A. That being said, all recent reports have been positive and the lefty still appears to be on track for a return sometime in late-July or August. |
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| Jul 2 2021 | Sale (elbow) was enthused by Wednesday's live batting practice session and reported feeling good the day after, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. "[Wednesday] was a good day, another step in the right direction. You know, I came in today feeling really, really good. Was able to move my arm around. Soreness in all the good spots. Got to keep trucking forward," the pitcher said. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale feels he'll be pitching for Boston "sooner rather than later" following Wednesday's session during which he hit the mid 90s on the radar gun and mixed in offspeed stuff. The left-hander will need a rehab assignment, but Sale could return soon enough to make an impact on the pennant race. |
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| Jun 30 2021 | Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Sale (elbow) looked "really good" while throwing a live batting-practice session Wednesday, Steve Hewitt of the Boston Herald reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale faced hitters for the second time in less than a week, and based on Cora's observations, the veteran southpaw was sharper Wednesday than he was over the weekend. Per Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe, Cora said the most "eye-opening" aspect of Sale's throwing session was his improved command, an area pitchers returning from Tommy John surgery often struggle to regain in their initial throwing sessions. Sale, who sported a fastball that sat around 94 to 95 miles per hour, is scheduled to throw another live batting practice next week in Florida before the Red Sox send him out on a rehab assignment. He'll likely make four or five rehab outings before returning from the 60-day injured list, with a late-July or early August season debut looking like a real possibility for the 32-year-old. |
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| Jun 27 2021 | Manager Alex Cora said Sale (elbow) will throw a two-inning live batting practice session Wednesday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The skipper said that Sale is "feeling great" following his 15-pitch live BP session Saturday. The southpaw will ramp up the pitch count when he throws to hitters again Wednesday, after which he could begin a minor-league rehab assignment. With that in mind, Sale remains in line for a mid-to-late July return to the Boston rotation. |
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| Jun 26 2021 | Sale (elbow) threw 15 pitches during live batting practice Saturday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Although Sale threw slightly fewer pitches than expected Saturday, manager Alex Cora said that the left-hander looked good during his throwing session. The 32-year-old is slated to face hitters at Fenway Park again next week, and he could begin a rehab assignment afterward. |
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| Jun 22 2021 | Sale (elbow) threw a bullpen session Tuesday and will face hitters Saturday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale had some hiccups over the winter as he worked his way back from Tommy John surgery, dealing with minor neck and back issues as well as COVID-19, but it's been smooth sailing for him for a while now. He still doesn't have a precise timeline for his return, but a rehab assignment in early July seems very possible given his progress thus far. |
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| Jun 19 2021 | Sale (elbow) is scheduled to throw bullpen sessions Tuesday and Friday, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale threw a 40-pitch bullpen session Friday and felt good afterward. If all goes well during next week's bullpens, the southpaw is expected to face hitters for the first time the week after. A timetable for Sale's return to game action hasn't yet been established, but he could potentially begin a rehab assignment sometime in July. |
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| Jun 18 2021 | Sale (elbow) threw 40 pitches in a bullpen session Friday, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale impressed during a bullpen session at the end of last week, and he had another throwing session in Worcester on Friday. The southpaw treated the bullpen as though he was warming up for a game as he continues to make progress in his recovery. Manager Alex Cora has expressed optimism that Sale could face hitters in the near future, but he'll continue to be monitored in the coming days to determine his next steps. |
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| Jun 11 2021 | Manager Alex Cora was impressed with Sale (elbow) during the lefty's bullpen session Friday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The manager expressed strong optimism when talking about the southpaw's Friday bullpen, but also hinted at the fact that he still has a ways to go before he's back in the Red Sox rotation, saying, "We need to not get too excited...but it was just that good." Cora's latest update indicates that a July return to the Red Sox continues to be a realistic possibility for the veteran left-hander, though Boston will surely continue to monitor his rehab very closely. |
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| Jun 7 2021 | Sale (elbow) is scheduled to throw another bullpen session this week, and he could be ready to face hitters soon after, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports. "Things are trending up," manager Alex Cora said, regarding Sale's recovery from Tommy John surgery. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale checked out fine after tossing a 20-pitch bullpen session last Wednesday, so he'll presumably be able to take a step forward in terms of both intensity and volume of pitches when he repeats the activity this week. The veteran southpaw still has several hurdles to clear in the recovery process from surgery before the Red Sox prepare him for a return from the 60-day injured list, but Sale at least appears to have avoided any majors since undergoing the elbow procedure March 30, 2020. |
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| Jun 2 2021 | Sale (elbow) threw 20 pitches off the mound Wednesday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: According to manager Alex Cora, Sale threw mostly fastballs and changeups. He also mixed in three sliders, only one of which was on target. An early-to-mid-summer return timeline remains feasible for Sale, but he'll certainly need to regain his signature slider before progressing further and beginning rehab assignments. |
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| May 31 2021 | Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom said Monday that Sale (elbow) continues to increase the intensity and length of his throwing sessions as he progresses toward rejoining the starting rotation sometime this summer, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran southpaw will continue to eye an early-to-mid-summer return from Tommy John surgery. Bloom's update doesn't necessarily provide a lot of information as far as a specific return date, but it does indicate that things are continuing to go well as far as the rehab process is concerned. |
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| May 22 2021 | Sale (elbow) threw a bullpen session at the Red Sox's spring training facility Saturday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale's recovery from Tommy John surgery hit a trio of snags over the winter, as he dealt with neck stiffness, a minor back issue and COVID-19. None of the issues were arm-related, however, so the ultimate impact on his return timeline may not wind up being particularly significant. The Red Sox have yet to announce when they expect him to return, however. |
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| May 18 2021 | Sale (elbow) has been satisfied with his recoveries between throwing sessions, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale threw from a mound for the first time since Tommy John surgery May 4 and has continued with his throwing progression. It's unclear how significant Sale's bouncing back well between sessions truly is, but manager Alex Cora sees it as a good sign for the lefty ace. |
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| May 4 2021 | Sale (elbow) threw off a mound Tuesday for the first time since March 1, 2020, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He only threw a few pitches, but it was nonetheless a big step in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Along his road to recovery, Sale was delayed due to neck stiffness and COVID-19 in January along with a minor back injury in spring training. There is no timetable for Sale's return to game action, but he is making strides in the right direction. |
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| May 1 2021 | Sale (elbow) hasn't yet resumed throwing off a mound, Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was recently sent to Florida to continue his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery, but he's still been limited to throwing off flat ground. Although Sale has reportedly been increasing his throwing intensity in recent weeks, it's not yet clear when he'll be able to resume mound work. |
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| Apr 26 2021 | Sale (elbow) will head to Florida on Monday to continue his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale has been working with the team in Boston, mostly playing catch. The organization doesn't have a timetable for when the left-hander will resume throwing off a mound, though that will likely happen soon now that he's heading to extended spring training. |
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| Apr 20 2021 | Sale (elbow), who threw in the outfield at Fenway Park on Tuesday, will head to Florida to continue his rehab Sunday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He has not advanced to mound work yet, but Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe noted that he was throwing with some fervor prior to Tuesday's game. Sale seems to be getting stronger and is closing in on advancing to mound work. |
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| Apr 8 2021 | Sale (elbow) has advanced to throwing off flat ground from 120 feet but has yet to get back on a mound, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale is expected to return from Tommy John surgery sometime in the middle of this season, as he underwent the procedure last March, but the Red Sox haven't offered any specific timeline. He's behind schedule due to a pair of setbacks, though neither one was arm-related, as he battled neck stiffness and then COVID-19 over the winter. |
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| Mar 19 2021 | Sale is behind schedule in his recovery from Tommy John surgery and has yet to throw off a mound due to non-elbow-related setbacks, Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom toldMLB Network Radio on SiriusXM on Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale is a year removed from the procedure, at which point most pitchers have advanced to mound work. Sale isn't there yet, as he dealt with neck stiffness over the winter and then came down with COVID-19. While those setbacks might ultimately delay his timeline somewhat, it's certainly a positive that nothing has gone wrong with his arm thus far. He remains without a precise timeline for his return to game action. |
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| Feb 27 2021 | Sale (elbow) will stretch his flat-ground throwing program out to 90 feet Saturday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale, who has not yet thrown off a mound, continues to work his way back from Tommy John surgery last March. While he has no set timetable for returning, the left-hander is expected to pitch at some point during the 2021 season. |
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| Feb 18 2021 | Sale (elbow) was placed on the 60-day injured list Thursday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was expected to miss the first several months of the 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March of 2020, so his placement on the injured list is simply procedural and will clear up a spot on the 40-man roster for right-hander John Schreiber, who was claimed off waivers in a corresponding move. Sale experienced some neck stiffness in early February but remains on track in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. |
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| Feb 4 2021 | Sale (elbow) was forced to modify his rehab program after suffering from neck stiffness, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The team's chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom clarified that the setback was not directly related to Sale's recovery from Tommy John surgery. Even so, he admitted that the injury did push back Sale's timetable to return to the mound. More optimistically, there have been no reports of further arm issues for Sale and the neck injury is not expected to change his health status in the long-term. |
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| Jan 12 2021 | Sale (elbow) is scheduled to throw off a mound in late January, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran left-hander remains without an official timeline for his return, but a return to mound work represents a significant step in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Sale underwent the procedure in March 2020 and figures to be sidelined for much of the first half of the 2021 campaign, but a more concrete timeline should come into focus and he ramps up his rehab work. |
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| Dec 15 2020 | Sale remains without a clear timeline for his return from Tommy John surgery, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale underwent the procedure in late March. A typical recovery timeline would see him back on a big-league mound sometime in the middle of the 2021 season, though it's difficult to predict his exact return date with any precision. While manager Alex Cora declined to give a timeline for the lefty's return Tuesday, he did note that his recovery was coming along well. |
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| Nov 11 2020 | Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said Wednesday that Sale (elbow) continues to make progress from his Tommy John surgery and could be fully stretched out for starting duty by the middle of next summer, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale still has several more checkpoints to meet in his recovery from the elbow procedure, but the first seven-plus months of his rehab program appears to have gone according to plan. The southpaw should be ready to throw off flat ground -- if not a mound -- by the end of spring training, but he'll still be ticketed for the 60-day injured list to begin the 2021 campaign. |
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| Sep 12 2020 | Sale (elbow) has been playing catch for the past week, Ian Browne of the MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Boston manager Ron Roenicke received positive reports about Sale, the left-hander who underwent Tommy John surgery at the end of March. He's not expected to return until the middle of next season. |
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| Aug 12 2020 | Sale (elbow) is expected to resume throwing in two or three weeks, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale is slowly but surely working his way back after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March. The lefty is set to miss the entire 2020 campaign and some of the 2021 season while rehabbing. |
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| Jun 28 2020 | Sale (elbow) was placed on the 45-day injured list Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He will miss the whole season and some of the 2021 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery in late March. This move opens up a spot on the 40-man roster. |
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| Apr 7 2020 | Sale (elbow) will be out of his arm cast and start rehabbing Thursday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While speaking with reporters Tuesday -- a little over a week after undergoing Tommy John surgery -- Sale mentioned that he's ready to shed his cast and begin the long rehabilitation process. The lefty is hoping to rehab at jetBlue Park at Fenway South in Fort Myers, Florida, though he can do most of the early-stage work at home if necessary. Sale mentioned that he's "really happy" with where he's at now, as the surgery offered a "definitive answer, a finish line," per Speier. "I've been chasing a ghost for seven months," Sale said. |
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| Mar 30 2020 | Sale underwent Tommy John surgery Monday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The surgery should finally allow Sale to move past the elbow issues that bothered him dating back to the second half of last season. He'll miss all of this season, even if the schedule winds up considerably delayed, and should miss a fair portion of the 2021 season as well. According to chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, Sale's recovery is expected to take around 14-to-15 months, per Bill Koch of The Providence Journal. The southpaw will complete his rehab at his home in Florida. |
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| Mar 19 2020 | Sale will undergo Tommy John surgery on his left elbow. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale's elbow troubles date back to last season. Tommy John surgery appeared to be on the table back in August and again when the issue return at the start of this month. The procedure was deemed unnecessary both times, and Sale was able to resume throwing Wednesday. His elbow evidently didn't respond well to Wednesday's session, however, as the decision to have him finally undergo the procedure was made just one day later. With a typical recovery timeline, the lefty will miss all of this season and the start of the 2021 campaign as well. |
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| Mar 18 2020 | Sale (elbow) resumed throwing Wednesday at the Red Sox's spring training facility, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The health of Sale's elbow remains up in the air despite the fact that he's able to throw. After three opinions on his flexor strain in early March, it was determined that he didn't need Tommy John surgery, but his elbow will need to continue to progress for that to remain the case. Even if all goes well with his recovery, it will still take some time before Sale is ready for game action, though with Opening Day still up in the air, it's conceivable he could be ready by the time play resumes. |
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| Mar 14 2020 | Sale (elbow) is still scheduled to be reevaluated sometime next week despite the suspension of spring training, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale has dealt with both pneumonia and a flexor strain in his pitching elbow during spring training, but interim manager Ron Roenicke indicated that the team will currently keep his throwing program in place despite the stoppage in play over coronavirus concerns. The southpaw was scheduled to throw Friday before play stopped, and it's unclear whether that session occurred. Sale's reaction to increased usage will likely determine his next steps in his recovery process. |
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| Mar 10 2020 | Sale (elbow) will be reassessed within the next week, Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Interim manager Ron Roenicke said Sale would be reassessed 10-to-14 days after the date he was originally shut down, which happened at the start of March. After three opinions on Sale's left elbow, Tommy John surgery hasn't been recommended. The plan has been for him to rest, as his UCL is still intact, and see how his elbow responds. We should know more about whether or not that plan is working and what the lefty's next steps are soon. |
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| Mar 5 2020 | Manager Ron Roenicke said Thursday that Sale has been diagnosed with a flexor strain in his left elbow, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports. He'll be shut down from throwing for the next week before attempting to play catch again. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Per Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic, both Dr. James Andrews and Dr. Neal ElAttrache noted that Sale's UCL is intact, prompting the two specialists to recommend that he forgo surgery for the time being and take a week off before seeing how his elbow responds to the rest period. According to Abraham, Sale is still scheduled to take part in defensive drills Thursday, so he won't be held out of baseball activities entirely while he waits for his elbow pain to subside. While the news is seemingly positive for Sale, the Red Sox likely won't be able to pinpoint a target date for his return until he advances deep into his throwing program, and Tommy John surgery could still be in the cards if his elbow doesn't show the desired improvement. Since he'll essentially have to go through a modified spring training all over again, Sale appears unlikely to be ready to make his 2020 debut until early May in a best-case scenario. |
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| Mar 4 2020 | Sale (elbow) is not expected to undergo Tommy John surgery at this point, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 30-year-old is expected to avoid surgery and will meet with arm specialist Dr. Neal ElAttrache later this week for another opinion. Dr. ElAttrache will be the third specialist to have examined Sale's MRI results, which should rule out the possibility of the southpaw making a quick turnaround from the injured list. The Red Sox should have an updated timeline on the injury within the next few days, but it is almost certain that seven-time All Star will spend greater than the minimum 15 days on the IL. |
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| Mar 3 2020 | Sale (illness) felt sore following a live batting practice session Sunday and was sent for an MRI on his elbow, the results of which will be read by Dr. James Andrews, Sean McAdam of BostonSportsJournal.com reports | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The lefty just can't catch a break. Already ruled out for the start of the season after missing time this spring due to a bout of pneumonia, he's now been linked to one of the most dreaded names in baseball. Dr. Andrews' name brings with it fears of Tommy John surgery, a procedure which was deemed unnecessary when Sale dealt with elbow trouble late last season. Whether or not that's on the table this time around remains to be seen. |
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| Mar 1 2020 | Sale (illness) completed a 15-pitch live batting practice session Sunday and is scheduled to throw a two-inning simulated game Thursday, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran left-hander is expected to throw 15 pitches per inning during the simulated game, and he could progress to a Grapefruit League game March 10 if all goes well. Sale has already been ruled out for Opening Day and is likely to begin the season on the injured list, so the Red Sox are likely to continue exercising caution as Sale builds up to a starter's workload after dealing with pneumonia in early February. |
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| Feb 27 2020 | Interim manager Ron Roenicke confirmed Thursday that Sale (illness) won't be available to start Opening Day and will likely begin the season on the 15-day injured list, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Roenicke stressed that Sale is fine physically after the southpaw treated his elbow through non-surgical methods during the offseason, but the 30-year-old simply doesn't have enough time left during spring to build up to a starter's workload after battling pneumonia earlier this month. Sale has since resumed working out and is expected to toss a live batting-practice session Saturday, but he'll still be about two weeks behind Boston's other starting pitchers once the regular season begins. Assuming the Red Sox place Sale on the IL and make his stint retroactive to March 23 (the earliest possible date), the lefty won't be eligible to make his 2020 debut until at least April 7 versus the Rays, per Browne. |
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| Feb 26 2020 | Sale (illness) completed his bullpen session without issues Wednesday, but his late start due to pneumonia means he's unlikely to be ready by Opening Day, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale didn't exactly need more question marks heading into the season on the back of an injury-filled 2019 campaign. He was considered completely healthy when he showed up to camp, having recovered from the platelet-rich plasma injection he received in August, but the illness led to him getting considerably behind schedule. He's expected to throw a live batting practice session Saturday and then another one next week before jumping into game action. The Red Sox want to be very careful in his buildup this season and will be happy to have him miss a turn or two at the start of the year if it means his odds of staying healthy for the remainder of the season improve. |
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| Feb 25 2020 | Sale will throw an extended batting practice session later this week, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale, who felt good following a bullpen session Sunday, will simulate a multiple-inning situation during the extended bullpen. "He'll throw, probably take a couple minute breather and then get up and throw again. It's kind of an up-and-down for him," said interim manager Ron Roenicke. Sale, who was shut down early in camp due to pneumonia, may not get the six spring starts Boston had hoped for him. It's not yet clear when he'll begin to get into Grapefruit League games. |
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| Feb 24 2020 | Sale (illness) threw a bullpen session Sunday, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale, who is working his way back from a bout of pneumonia, has thrown side sessions, but this was his first bullpen of the spring. Interim manager Rob Roenicke is hopeful the left-hander can take the next step. He and pitching coach Dave Bush plan to meet with Sale on Monday to outline his program for the remainder of spring training. |
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| Feb 20 2020 | Sale (illness) tossed a bullpen session during Thursday's full-squad workout, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The side session was Sale's second of the week after he returned to camp Monday following a bout with pneumonia. The time the ace missed due to the illness along with an organizational desire to save his bullets for the games that count may prompt Boston to push back his Grapefruit League debut until next week or the first week of March, but Sale's ability to resume mound work at least indicates he's healthy again. |
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| Feb 16 2020 | Sale said he's clear of the pneumonia and is scheduled to throw off a mound Monday, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran left-hander will now look to get back up to full strength after recovering from the bout of pneumonia, which Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports caused him to lose between six and seven pounds. Sale isn't guaranteed to be ready for Opening Day as the Red Sox plan to remain cautious in returning him to the fold, but he is clearly on the right track toward being fully cleared. |
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| Feb 15 2020 | Sale (illness) could miss Opening Day as a result of his delayed start to spring training, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale recently developed a mild case of pneumonia, and interim manager Ron Roenicke stressed Saturday that the team wouldn't rush him back until he's fully ready. The 30-year-old played catch Friday and Saturday, but he still isn't back to full strength. After Sale posted a career-worst 4.40 ERA in 2019 as he dealt with elbow issues, the team wants to make sure the southpaw will be healthy over the course of the season rather than rushing him back prematurely. |
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| Feb 12 2020 | Interim manager Ron Roenicke said Wednesday that Sale's recent bout with the flu turned into a mild case of pneumonia, though the lefty "feels really good" after completing a throwing session Tuesday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale is scheduled to throw again Wednesday at his home before reporting to Red Sox camp Friday, which offers some more reassurance about his health. Because of the physical toll the illness may have taken on his body, it's possible Sale is eased along more slowly than Boston's other rotation candidates. Per Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe, Roenicke noted that he wants all of his starters to get in six outings during spring training, so Sale will presumably get some competitive action in by the end of February. |
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| Feb 11 2020 | Sale is said to be fully healthy but is sick and will begin slowly to start spring training, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale had an encouraging appointment with Dr. James Andrews in December and was given permission to resume offseason preparations without any restrictions approaching spring training. The 30-year-old finished the 2019 season with a career-high 4.40 ERA and less than 11 wins for the first time in his career as a starter. Sale comfortably remains atop the Red Sox rotation and will look to bounce back strong after signing a five-year, $145 million contract extension last March. |
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| Dec 1 2019 | Sale (elbow) was cleared to begin an offseason throwing program two weeks ago after visiting with Dr. James Andrews in Florida, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection for his ailing elbow in August, Sale was scheduled to make a follow-up appointment with Dr. Andrews near the end of the season, but the lefty ultimately pushed the checkup back a few weeks. With Andrews giving him a clean bill of health, Sale will now be able to resume his normal offseason preparations and shouldn't face any restrictions for the start of spring training. After posting a career-worst 4.40 ERA over 25 starts in 2019, a healthy Sale will be looking to bounce back as he enters the first season of the five-year, $145 million extension he signed last March. |
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| Sep 30 2019 | Assistant general manager Brian O'Halloran said Monday that he expects Sale (elbow) to be back to full health when the Red Sox open spring training in February, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Boston has been pleased with the progress Sale has made in his recovery since being shut down for the season in mid-August with left elbow inflammation, an injury that he treated with a platelet-rich plasma injection rather than any sort of surgical procedure. Sale was initially in line to be re-examined by Dr. James Andrews in late September or early October, but O'Halloran noted that the southpaw has yet to make a follow-up appointment, per Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican. Though Sale may book a checkup with Dr. Andrews at some point later in the fall or winter, it's not expected that the meeting will have any bearing on his availability for the spring. |
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| Sep 30 2019 | Assistant general manager Brian O'Halloran said Monday that he expects Sale (elbow) | to be back to full health when the Red Sox open spring training in February, Alex |
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| Sep 18 2019 | Sale (elbow) is expected to resume throwing early in the offseason, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: A shaky season saw Sale record a 4.40 ERA before being shut down for elbow inflammation in mid-August, though that number came with a 3.39 FIP, a 2.94 xFIP and a 35.6 percent strikeout rate. If he is indeed able to resume throwing early in the offseason, that would seem to bode well for his readiness for the start of the 2020 campaign. |
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| Sep 1 2019 | Boston transferred Sale (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Sunday. | |
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| Aug 19 2019 | Sale (elbow) will miss the remainder of the regular season, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com | reports. |
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| Aug 17 2019 | Sale will get a second opinion on his injured left elbow from Dr. James Andrews, | Adam Kaufman of WBZ News Radio reports. |
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| Aug 13 2019 | Sale recorded 12 strikeouts and surrendered five runs (three earned) on five hits | and two walks over 6.2 innings during Tuesday's 10-inning win at Cleveland. He didn't |
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| Aug 8 2019 | Sale (6-11) struck out 13 over eight scoreless innings in a win over the Angels | on Thursday, allowing just two hits with no walks. |
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| Aug 3 2019 | Sale (5-11) allowed eight runs on nine hits and no walks while striking out four | across 3.2 innings to take the loss Saturday against the Yankees. |
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| Jul 28 2019 | Sale (5-10) took the loss against the Yankees on Sunday, pitching 5.1 innings and | giving up six runs on five hits and three walks while striking out seven. |
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| Jul 23 2019 | Sale (5-9) recorded 10 strikeouts and earned the win Tuesday at Tampa Bay after allowing two runs on four hits and three walks across six innings. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 18 2019 | Sale (4-9) allowed two hits and two walks while striking out 12 across six scoreless innings to earn the win Thursday against the Blue Jays. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 13 2019 | Sale (3-9) was charged with the loss Saturday against the Dodgers after surrendering five runs on seven hits across 4.2 innings. He struck out seven and walked one. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 3 2019 | Sale (3-8) allowed five earned runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out five across 5.2 innings to take the loss Wednesday against the Blue Jays. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 26 2019 | Sale struck out 10 but allowed five runs on six hits with one walk across six innings during a no-decision against the White Sox on Wednesday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 21 2019 | Sale yielded four runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks while striking out eight over five innings Friday in a no-decision against the Blue Jays. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 15 2019 | Sale improved to 3-7 on the season Saturday against the Orioles, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out 10 in six innings. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 10 2019 | Sale gave up one run (none earned) on three hits and one walk while striking out 10 through seven innings in a no-decision against the Rangers on Monday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 5 2019 | Sale (2-7) gave up three hits while striking out 12 through nine scoreless innings to take the win over the Royals on Wednesday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 31 2019 | Sale (1-7) allowed four runs on seven hits with 10 strikeouts and a walk across six innings while taking a loss against the Yankees on Friday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 30 2019 | Sale will start Friday against the Yankees, Ian Browne of MLB.com<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 30 2019 | Sale will no longer make his scheduled start<\/a> Thursday against the Yankees as the game has been postponed due to inclement weather. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 24 2019 | Sale (1-6) took the loss Friday as the Red Sox were downed 4-3 by the Astros, allowing four runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks over six innings while striking out five. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 19 2019 | Sale allowed three runs on four hits and five walks while striking out 10 across 5.1 innings Sunday against the Astros. He did not factor into the decision. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 14 2019 | Sale allowed two earned runs on three hits and no walks while striking out 17 across seven innings Tuesday against the Rockies. He did not factor into the decision. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 8 2019 | Sale allowed one earned run on three hits and no walks while striking out 14 across eight innings Wednesday against the Orioles. He did not factor into the decision. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 22 2018 | Sale (11-4) tossed six scoreless innings while striking out nine as he picked up the win Sunday against the Tigers. | Sale has been nearly untouchable over his past eight starts, allowing just five runs while fanning 87 across 54 innings. The 29-year-old ace managed to secure his fifth straight victory, with his last loss dating back to June 8 against the White Sox. Sale carries a remarkable 2.13 ERA and 0.87 WHIP with a 197:31 K:BB over 135 frames into his next outing, which is scheduled for Friday against Minnesota. |
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| Jul 16 2018 | Sale will serve as the American League's starting pitcher in Tuesday's All-Star Game, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports. | Sale and Yankees ace Luis Severino were the leading candidates to open the game for the American League, with manager A.J. Hinch ultimately opting for the former's experience. It's expected that Sale will only pitch an inning or two Tuesday before exiting the contest. He's lined up to make his first post-break start for the Red Sox on Sunday in Detroit. |
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| Jul 11 2018 | Sale (10-4) picked up the win in Wednesday's 4-2 victory over the Rangers, allowing six hits and a walk over seven scoreless innings while striking out 12. | Elvis Andrus was the only Texas hitter to get into scoring position against Sale, rapping out doubles in the first and sixth innings, but otherwise the left-hander was dominant through 110 pitches (80 strikes), He'll take a 2.23 ERA and 188:31 K:BB through 129 innings into the All-Star break. |
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| Jul 6 2018 | Sale (9-4) picked up the win against the Royals on Friday, yielding one earned run on five hits over six innings, striking out 12 and walking one as Boston cruised to a 10-5 victory. | It was a standard day at the office for the dominant lefty, who has been absolutely mowing down opposing hitters of late, with five double-digit strikeout efforts to his name over his last six outings. Sale also has a 2.36 ERA to go along with a brilliant 0.89 WHIP through 122 innings and remains one of the most prolific strikeout artists in the game. He'll look to extend his recent run of dominance in his next start, which will see him take the mound against the Rangers on Wednesday. |
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| Jun 30 2018 | Sale (8-4) earned the win against the Yankees on Saturday with seven shutout innings, during which he allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out 11. | The southpaw hit Aaron Hicks and allowed a single to Giancarlo Stanton in the first inning -- and that was all New York could scrape together against him. Sale has notched double-digit strikeouts in four of his last five starts and fell just one short in the fifth, and the Cy Young candidate has walked just one in five of his past six. The fantasy ace's 2018 line was already absurd before this gem took him to a 2.41 ERA, 12.7 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 across 116 frames. He'll take this show to its next stop in Kansas City on Friday. |
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| Jun 24 2018 | Sale (7-4) struck out 13 over seven scoreless innings Sunday against the Mariners, allowing four hits while walking one en route to his seventh win of the season. | Sale only needed 93 pitches (71 strikes) in this dominant performance. He ended his day by striking out Mike Zunino with a 100-mph fastball, and then Joe Kelly and Matt Barnes each logged an inning in the combined four-hit shutout. Sale fanned 10 of the first 16 batters he faced, including the side in order in the fifth. His season ERA peaked at 3.00 on June 1, but since then he has struck out 43 in 28 innings over his last four starts, which has helped him bring that ERA back down to a more typically dominant 2.56. His next start will come next weekend in Yankee Stadium. |
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| Jun 19 2018 | Sale struck out 11 over seven innings Tuesday, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk in a no-decision against the Twins. | Sale attacked hitters from the start, throwing first-pitch strikes to 22 of the 26 batters he faced en route to notching double-digit strikeouts for the fifth time this year. The 29-year-old is sporting a terrific 12.5 K/9 on the year, though the high-powered Boston offense hasn't given the lefty ace much to work with recently. The team has lost four of his last five outings (1-3 personally in that span) with just 11 total runs worth of support over that stretch. He'll take a 2.74 ERA into Sunday's start against the Mariners. |
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| Jun 13 2018 | Sale (6-4) picked up the win in Wednesday's 5-1 victory over the Orioles, allowing one run on two hits and four walks over six innings while striking out nine. | The run scored after the left-hander has exited the game -- Sale walked the first two batters in the seventh before getting the hook, and was somewhat pointlessly ejected by home plate umpire Brian Knight as he was walking to the dugout for complaining about the strike zone. The result still snapped the left-hander's personal three-game losing streak, and Sale will carry a 2.75 ERA into his next outing Tuesday in Minnesota. |
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| Jun 9 2018 | Sale (5-4) took the loss Friday as the Red Sox fell 1-0 to the White Sox, allowing one run on six hits and a walk over eight innings while striking out 10. | The Boston offense failed to show up Friday, sending Sale to his third straight loss despite his ninth quality start of the season and fourth outing with double-digit strikeouts. The left-hander will carry a 2.83 ERA into his next start Wednesday in Baltimore. |
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| Jun 1 2018 | Sale (5-3) took the loss Friday as the Red Sox fell 7-3 to the Astros, allowing four runs on six hits and a walk over six innings while striking out six. | After giving up no more than three runs in any of his first 11 starts of the season, Sale has now coughed up 10 earned runs in his last two to boost his ERA on the year to an even 3.00, although his 14:4 K:BB in 10.1 innings over that "slump" suggests there isn't much to worry about. Look for the 29-year-old to come roaring back in his next outing Thursday at home against the Tigers. |
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| May 27 2018 | Sale (5-2) allowed six runs on five hits and three walks while striking out eight across 4.1 innings Sunday as he was tabbed with the loss against the Braves. | The Braves were able to get to Sale early, as they struck for three runs in the second inning, followed by three more in the fifth -- Sale was removed after recording one out in the fifth, and he was replaced by Brian Johnson, who allowed both of his inherited runners to score. Despite a poor outing, Sale sits with a 2.76 ERA and 0.96 WHIP, and he figures to turn it around in his next performance, which should come Friday against the Astros. |
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| May 22 2018 | Sale (5-1) allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks across 7.2 innings while earning the win Tuesday against the Rays. He struck out nine. | Sale pounded the strike zone at a 65 percent clip and finished with at least nine strikeouts for the fourth straight start. He allowed a solo home run in the fourth inning and was charged with an unearned run after a passed ball set up a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Sale has been simply outstanding this season, compiling a 2.17 ERA and a 12.3 K/9 while allowing two earned runs or fewer in eight of 11 starts. He'll look to keep it up Sunday against the Braves. |
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| May 16 2018 | Sale (4-1) allowed two runs on two hits and four walks with nine strikeouts through just five innings to pick up the win Wednesday over the A's. | Sale was a bit wild, as he needed 102 pitches to get through just five innings, but he was as nasty as usual. His fastball alone induced 10 swinging strikes in 66 offerings. Sale was, however, touched up for a two-run homer by Marcus Semien, the sixth homer he has allowed in his last six starts. Sale has been extremely effective despite the home run problem -- he owns a 3.07 ERA powered by a ridiculous 56:10 K:BB over 41 innings in those six starts -- but Sale can go from a great pitcher to arguably the best in baseball if he can find a way to keep the ball in the yard. His next start will come Tuesday against the Rays. |
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| May 12 2018 | Sale didn't factor into the decision in Friday's 5-3 extra-innings loss to the Blue Jays, allowing three runs on six hits over nine innings while striking out a season-high 15. | The left-hander was his typical dominant self, firing 85 of 116 pitches for strikes and generating a massive 26 swinging strikes, but Luke Maile's solo homer in the seventh inning denied Sale his fourth win of the year. The 29-year-old hasn't allowed more than three runs in any of his nine starts so far, and his 78 strikeouts puts him third in the majors behind Max Scherzer (91) and Gerrit Cole (86). Sale will take a sparkling 2.17 ERA into his next outing Wednesday at home against the A's. |
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| May 7 2018 | Sale had a season-high 23 swings-and-misses on all his pitches Sunday, including 12 on his slider, Christoper Smith of MassLive.com reports. | Sale, who combined for 23 swings-and-misses on the slider over his first seven games, said he viewed a lot of video to get the slider back to where he wanted. "It's been been probably the main concern," Sale said about his slider. "Early on, it wasn't where we wanted it to be." The left-hander allowed one run while striking out 12 over seven innings Sunday. |
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| May 6 2018 | Sale (3-1) picked up his third win of the season Sunday, allowing just one run on four hits and one walk while striking out 12 across seven innings against Texas. | Sale had the strikeout pitch working Sunday, as he was able to fan a season-high 12 Texas batters. The 29-year-old left-hander was able to bounce back after receiving a no-decision his last start against Kansas City, despite allowing just one earned run across seven innings. He'll look to put together back-to-back wins in his next start, which figures to come Friday against the Blue Jays. |
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| May 2 2018 | Sale allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out six over seven innings in Tuesday's 7-6 extra-inning loss to the Royals. | Sale wasn't at his best -- he also hit two batters -- but as usual kept the game close despite some sketchy defense behind him and departed with a lead. The win escaped him when Craig Kimbrel blew his first save since last August, serving up an over-the-plate fastball that Alex Gordon drilled for a game-tying home run. Sale has yet to allow more than three runs in any of the seven games started so far, but has just two wins to show for his good work. His next start comes Sunday on the road against Texas. |
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| May 1 2018 | Sale (2-1) allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks over seven innings in Tuesday's loss to the Royals. He struck out six. | Sale didn't rack up a whole lot of strikeouts against an exploitable Royals' lineup, but the ace did put together another strong performance and has worked his ERA down to a shiny 2.14 mark. He was in line to pick up his third win of the season, but closer Craig Kimbrel gave up a solo shot to Alex Gordon in the ninth, sending the game to extra innings. Fantasy owners' only concern with Sale could be the fact that he has tallied a double-digit strikeout total in just one of his first seven starts this season, whereas he had already accumulated six such games in his first seven outings in 2017. The strikeouts will likely begin piling up sooner than later. |
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| Apr 26 2018 | Sale (2-1) picked up the win over the Blue Jays on Thursday, giving up three earned runs on four hits, striking out four and walking two as the Red Sox eventually prevailed 5-4. | It wasn't quite the level of dominance we're used to seeing from Sale as the four strikeouts were a season low, but he still managed to put together a quality start and pick up his second victory of the season. He'll take a 2.31 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP and an elite 45:8 K:BB into his next start against the Royals on May 1. |
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| Apr 21 2018 | Sale (1-1) allowed three earned runs on six hits while walking one and striking out 10 across seven innings to take the loss Saturday against the Athletics. | Sale is rarely overshadowed by other starting pitchers, but that was the case as his counterpart, Sean Manaea, threw the season's first no-hitter Saturday night. Sale was strong in his own right but wasn't especially dominant by his standards as he allowed five extra-base hits, including a home run and three doubles. Even so, the end result is nothing concerning and he remains one of the most dominant starting pitchers. |
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| Apr 15 2018 | Sale allowed one run on two hits and two walks over five innings in a no-decision Sunday against the Orioles. | Sale fanned eight batters during his time in Sunday's game, throwing 56 of his 93 pitches for strikes. Although he has just one victory over four starts, Sale has been his usual dominant self thus far and has yet to allow more than one run in an outing. He'll look to continue his terrific start to the season Saturday, with his next game projecting to be a matchup against the A's. |
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| Apr 11 2018 | Sale (1-0) allowed a single run on eight hits while striking out eight batters through six innings to collect his first win of the season during Tuesday's 14-1 victory over the Yankees. | This was the lefty's third consecutive gem to start the campaign, and he's been a little unlucky to have recorded just the single win. He's only allowed two runs through 17 innings while piling up an impressive 23 strikeouts. Sale will have the odd rough outing over the course of the year, but barring injury, he projects to remain an elite hurler in all settings. He lines up to face Baltimore at home next. |
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| Apr 4 2018 | Manager Alex Cora said Sale's next start might be pushed back to Tuesday, the first game of a series against the Yankees, Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reports. | Sale, who pitched Tuesday, is on schedule to start Sunday against the Rays, but Cora said that, even though a final decision hasn't been made, it's likely that he'll be pushed back to Tuesday. Pushing him back has nothing to do with injury, and Cora insists it is not about saving him for the Yankees, but rather an opportunity to give him a couple of rest days. That aligns with this spring's managerial mantra of keeping guys fresh and preserving the starters' bullets for the long haul. The Red Sox could have Eduardo Rodriguez (knee) back off the disabled list to start Sunday, or turn to Brian Johnson or Hector Velazquez, both of whom will miss scheduled turns this week due to off days. |
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| Apr 4 2018 | Sale allowed a single run on five hits while striking out six batters through five innings during Tuesday's 4-2 win over Miami. He didn't factor into the decision. | Despite allowing just the single run through 11 innings over his first two starts of the season, Sale is still searching for his first win. While striking out 15 batters helps, and wins aren't always indicative of pitching well, they're still a category in the majority of settings. Sale will look continue his strong start to the campaign and pick up his first victory against the Yankees next week. |
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| Mar 29 2018 | Manager Alex Cora confirmed that Sale (hip) will be good to go for Thursday's Opening Day start against Tampa Bay, Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston reports. | Sale suffered a bruised hip during his final spring training outing but was able to toss an aggressive bullpen session Monday without experiencing any issues. The left-hander shouldn't have any limitations heading into Thursday's start. During his first season with Boston in 2017, he logged a 2.90 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with a 308:43 K:BB over 32 starts. |
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| Mar 29 2018 | Sale pitched six innings and allowed no earned runs on one hit and three walks while striking out nine Thursday against the Rays. | Sale looked to be in midseason form in his first start of the season, requiring only 92 pitches to complete six innings of work. He also had his usual ability to miss bats working as well, generating 13 swinging strikes. The only flaws in his performance was the fact that he couldn't collect a win and that he walked three batters. It's likely that Sale will see more difficult matchups in the future, last season the Rays ranked 26th in OPS as a team against left-handed pitching, but regardless of the strength of the opposing lineup, his season is off to a strong start. |
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| Mar 25 2018 | Sale (hip) doesn't feel his injury will cause him to miss Thursday's Opening Day start against the Rays, Chad Jennings of the Boston Herald reports. "Not at all," was Sale's response to reporters when asked if he thinks he'll miss his scheduled first start. | Sale's initial reaction suggested a more serious injury than a bruise, but he said that's because the ball hit him on a nerve and sent immediate pain all the way to his foot. After a few moments, when that pain subsided, the left-hander tried to convince manager Alex Cora to let him stay in the game, but the manager was having none of that. |
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| Mar 25 2018 | Sale (hip) is expected to throw an aggressive bullpen session in preparation for his start in the season opener Thursday against the Rays, Chad Jennings of the Boston Herald reports. | Two days after being struck in the hip by a line drive in his final outing of spring training, Sale seems to be feeling fine, as he was able to throw long toss Sunday without any apparent issues. To make up for his abbreviated Grapefruit League start Saturday, Sale is expected to ramp up his pitch count more than normal during the bullpen session, which should allow him to take on a full innings load Opening Day. It's still worth checking back in on Sale's status after the side session, but he's looking like a safe activation for the first week of the season. |
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| Mar 24 2018 | Sale (hip) said he's fine and that he expects to make his Opening Day start against the Rays on Thursday, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports. | Sale was diagnosed with a hip contusion after exiting Saturday's spring game after being hit by a comebacker. The ace downplayed the issue afterwards, comparing it to getting hit by a pitch, and noted that he doesn't expect anything to linger at all, according to freelance sports writer Maureen Mullen. Still, the Red Sox will play it safe with Sale and send him for some X-rays, so his status should be updated after his test results are known. |
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| Mar 24 2018 | X-rays on Sale's hip came back negative and manager Alex Cora said he expects the southpaw to be ready to pitch Opening Day against the Rays on Thursday, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports. | This is certainly welcomed news for both parties after Sale was struck by a liner and exited Saturday's spring game with what was later diagnosed as a hip contusion. The ace was never worried about the injury, however, and further tests confirmed he wasn't dealing with anything overly serious. Look for the southpaw to stay on schedule for his Opening Day start Thursday against the Rays. |
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| Mar 24 2018 | Sale left Saturday's game with a left hip contusion after being hit by a line drive, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. | Sale will continue to be examined by team doctors within the next couple hours. It doesn't appear as though his Opening Day start against the Rays on Thursday is in jeopardy, but more should be known regarding his availability by the end of the day. |
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| Mar 24 2018 | Sale was hit on the left thigh by a comebacker and was removed from Saturday's contest, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. | Sale appeared to be okay following the incident, as he walked off the field without any noticeable limp or sign of pain. He did fall to the ground immediately after being struck by the line drive and should be considered day-to-day until he's evaluated by team doctors. The southpaw is scheduled to face Tampa Bay on Opening Day this Thursday. Expect an update on his status in the coming hours. |
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| Mar 20 2018 | Sale will start the Red Sox's Opening Day matchup with the Rays, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. | This comes as little surprise, as the southpaw was one of the top pitchers in all of baseball last season. Sale produced a 2.90 ERA to go with a career-best 308 strikeouts in 2017. He'll take the hill opposite Rays' ace Chris Archer to kick off the 2018 campaign. |
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| Mar 19 2018 | Sale allowed four runs on five hits, three walks and two hit batsmen while striking out six over five innings in Monday's start against the Phillies. "One thing that really pisses me off is command," Sale told John Tomase of WEEI.com. "Walking guys, hitting guys with breaking balls. That kind of stuff can't happen." | Command is Sale's calling card -- he owns a career 5.12 K/BB mark -- but he didn't have it Monday. His fastball was fine, but the game-plan was to focus on his secondary offerings and the command was not there. He'll have another 10 days in camp to work on it and one more start before he presumably takes the ball Opening Day against the Rays. |
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| Mar 14 2018 | Sale allowed two hits without a walk while striking out seven over five scoreless innings in Wednesday's start against the Twins. | This was Sale's second Grapefruit League start, but he's done plenty of work in intra-squad games and in other controlled environments. "Today I was able to change speeds and command the ball," Sale told Jenn McCaffrey of MassLive.com. "I felt like today was one of my better days overall in terms of my command and throwing strikes. In, out, up, down type of stuff." Both hits Sale allowed were one-out triples, which gave him an opportunity to get out of jams, which he did expertly. The left-hander got his pitch count up to 53 and will have two more spring starts before he presumably takes the ball Opening Day against the Rays. |
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| Mar 10 2018 | Sale allowed one run on two hits without a walk while striking out five over four innings in Friday's start against the Marlins. | Sale was making his first Grapefruit League start after ramping up in minor-league games. The Red Sox and Sale agreed that the pitcher would take a slower approach this spring, and the results were as good as Boston hoped. He was mostly dominant and left after throwing 58 pitches. |
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| Mar 4 2018 | Sale faced 15 batters and threw 52 pitches over four innings in a controlled minor-league game, Nick Friar of WEEI.com reports. | Sale is taking on a more gradual pace this spring relative to last year, when he said he was in midseason form too early. That led to a fade down the stretch, when he posted a 4.09 ERA over his final 11 starts. The goal is to have him strong from April through October. |
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| Jan 24 2018 | Sale acknowledged his late-season struggles in 2017 and plans to take measures to avoid a similar fate this season, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports. | Sale admitted he was trying way too hard early in the season, ramping his fastball up to the mid-90s along with a wipeout slider in spring training. That carried over into the season's first half but was unsustainable over the long haul. His downturn started Aug. 1, when he allowed seven runs over five innings to the Indians and led to a 4.09 ERA over his final 11 starts. "You know I was new here last year. I came in and I felt like I had to prove something," Sale told reporters. "So I felt, part of me felt I had to come in and say 'hey, this is what you're getting.'" The left-hander said there's a different plan in place this year. Sale's reduced the amount of throws made during the offseason and will continue in that same vein in spring training. |
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| Nov 2 2017 | Sale will remain with Boston in 2018 after the club exercised its $12.5 million option Thursday, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports. | In the least surprising move of the offseason, the Red Sox picked up Sale's option to keep the southpaw for another season. In addition, Boston did the same with closer Craig Kimbrel, locking up the star pitchers through 2018. |
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| Oct 3 2017 | Sale will start Game 1 of the ALDS on Thursday against the Astros, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports. | Sale showed some signs of fatigue in the second half, but overall was very impressive in his first year with the Red Sox. The 28-year-old compiled an impressive 2.90 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 308 strikeouts in 214.1 innings this season. |
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| Sep 30 2017 | Sale will not start Sunday and will instead be saved to pitch Game 1 of the ALDS against the Astros on Thursday of next week. | With the Red Sox wrapping up the AL East on Saturday, they will go with Hector Velazquez in the season finale and save their ace for the postseason. Sale will be pitching on nine days rest, and the Red Sox may be tempted to bring him back on short rest for Game 4, given the recent struggles of No. 4 starter Eduardo Rodriguez. |
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| Sep 30 2017 | Sale will start Sunday's game against the Astros only if the Red Sox haven't clinched the division following Saturday's results, Tim Britton of the Providence Journal reports. | Boston's magic number going into Saturday is just one, so that means a Boston win, or a Yankees loss, would secure the AL East division title for the Red Sox. If both of those results go against Boston, Sale will take the mound to try and avoid the club having to play a one-game playoff for the division title with New York on Monday. |
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| Sep 26 2017 | Sale (17-8) suffered a loss at the hands of the Blue Jays on Tuesday after allowing five runs on eight hits -- half of which left the yard -- over five innings. He struck out eight, walked two and hit a batter. | The end result was unfortunate, but Sale's 2017 strikeout total is now up to 308. With a playoff spot on lock, the Sox almost surely will use someone else when the ace lefty's turn comes up again Sunday, giving him some extra rest for the playoffs. If that is indeed what transpires, Sale will finish with a 2.90 ERA and 0.97 WHIP as well as the fifth-highest whiff count of the current millennium. |
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| Sep 21 2017 | Sale (17-7) shut the Orioles out over eight innings Wednesday, striking out 13 while allowing just four hits and no walks in a 9-0 victory. | The O's were simply overmatched in this one -- only one of their hits went for extra bases, and they never marshaled a serious threat against the dominating lefty. Sale has now recorded double-digit strikeouts a ridiculous 18 times in 31 starts, and he's hit exactly 300 on the season, leading second-place whiff artist Max Scherzer by an incredible 47. The 28-year-old's 2017 represents just the 35th 300-strikeout campaign in MLB history. He'll have a chance to to pile up a few more Tuesday against Toronto, but it's not clear whether Sale will make a second start next week or get rested ahead of the playoffs. |
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| Sep 15 2017 | Sale allowed four runs on six hits and three walks despite striking out nine over 5.2 innings in a no-decision Friday against the Rays. | Sale has been extremely inconsistent of late. Since July, Sale has allowed one or fewer runs in eight of his 13 starts, but he has allowed four or more runs in four of the remaining five. This was mediocre Sale on Friday, and it's these occasional bumps in the road that could wind up costing him the Cy Young race to Cleveland's Cory Kluber. |
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| Sep 9 2017 | Sale (16-7) allowed no runs on six hits and one walk while striking out eight across six innings to earn the victory Saturday against the Rays. | Sale had a lead in the first inning, which was more run support than he'd need to easily collect his 16th victory of the season. With a 2.76 ERA along with a 0.95 WHIP, he's been the fantasy ace that many hoped for when selecting him on draft day. He'll make his next start Friday against the Rays. |
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| Sep 4 2017 | Sale (15-7) allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out six over 4.1 innings in Sunday's 9-2 loss to the Yankees. | Sale was tagged for three solo home runs, including the first back-to-back job he's allowed during his career in the majors. The Yankees worked him over pretty good, getting his pitch count up to 109 before he was lifted. The left-hander's had smooth sailing for most of the season, but has experienced a drop off since the calendar flipped to August. Sale has a 4.57 ERA and allowed seven homers over his last seven starts. His performance in 2017 mimics a career pattern of tailing off in the final two months of a season. His ERA is under three from April to July, but then bumps up over three in August and closes in on four in Sept./Oct. Sale will look to buck that trend when he next takes the hill Saturday at home against the Rays. |
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| Aug 30 2017 | Sale (15-6) struck out 11 while scattering just three hits over seven scoreless innings to pick up the win in Toronto on Tuesday. | It took the Red Sox until the sixth inning to give Sale some support, but he was absolutely brilliant, registering double-digit strikeouts for the 17th time this season. This was a much-needed star turn for the lefty's fantasy owners, as he'd given up 18 earned runs in his last five starts despite a 42:8 K:BB in that span. Clayton Kershaw was the first pitcher in 13 years to break 300 strikeouts when he did so in 2015, and Sale has a great shot at joining him, as he'll enter September needing just 36 to reach that lofty milestone. He'll make his first start of the season's final month Sunday against the Yankees. |
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| Aug 24 2017 | Sale (14-6) took the loss after lasting just three innings Thursday in Cleveland, allowing seven runs (six earned) on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts. | Sale ran into trouble in the second inning, allowing four runs on four singles, a walk and an error before finally escaping thanks to a double play. His struggles continued in the third, as Cleveland tacked on three more runs. The lanky left-hander has faded down the stretch in previous seasons and appears to be going through similar struggles despite changing the color of his Sox this past offseason. Sale's now allowed 18 earned runs in 30 innings over his past five starts, raising his season ERA from 2.37 to 2.88. He'll hope to bounce back Tuesday in Toronto. |
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| Aug 19 2017 | Sale (14-5) allowed four runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out nine across seven innings to take the loss Saturday against the Yankees. | Sale gave up a three-run homer in the second inning along with a solo shot in the sixth, while the Red Sox were unable to give him enough run support, leading to his fifth loss of the season. Despite the loss, he'll continue to be one of the best fantasy aces in the business, as evidenced by his 2.62 ERA. He'll make his next start Thursday against the Indians. |
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| Aug 14 2017 | Sale allowed one run on four hits and two walks while striking out 12 over seven innings in Sunday's 3-2 extra-inning win over the Yankees. | Sale was superb once again but got nothing to show for his efforts. It was the eighth time this season that he's walked away with a no-decision or a loss when allowing two or fewer runs. Sale's next start is Saturday at home against these same Yankees. |
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| Aug 8 2017 | Sale (14-4) fired eight scoreless innings in Tuesday's 2-0 win over the Rays, scattering two hits and a walk while striking out 13. | Tampa didn't get a runner on base until the fourth inning and never got one into scoring position, as Sale bounced back from his worst start of the year to deliver one of his best. The lefty has now held the opposition scoreless in five of his last seven outings and fanned double-digit batters in seven of his last 10. He'll next take the mound Sunday for a crucial AL East battle in the Bronx against the Yankees. |
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| Aug 2 2017 | Sale was slammed for seven runs on eight hits -- including two home runs -- and a walk over five innings but escaped with a no-decision in Tuesday's 12-10 win over Cleveland. He struck out five. | An anticipated pitcher's duel with Carlos Carrasco instead turned into a classic Fenway Park shootout that saw 10 runners cross the plate in the first two innings and five more score in the ninth. Sale's 20.2-inning scoreless streak was snapped in brutal fashion in his worst start of the year, but expect the lefty to get back on track Sunday at home against his former club, the White Sox. |
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| Jul 29 2017 | Sale will start Tuesday against Cleveland, not Monday, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. | The Red Sox will give sale and extra rest day as they work Doug Fister into the rotation to replace the injured David Price. Sale still lines up for two starts next week, with the second coming Sunday against his old club, the White Sox. |
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| Jul 26 2017 | Sale (13-4) struck out 11 while allowing just three hits and a walk over seven scoreless innings against the Mariners on Wednesday. | Always one of the league's top strikeout artists, Sale has taken it to a new level this season, as he already has 211 strikeouts in just 148.1 innings -- that 12.8 K/9 is a full tick better than his career high. After seeing his velocity dip last year, Sale has returned to a consistent mid-90s heater this season, which has been a prime factor in his much-improved ratios. With Clayton Kershaw on the DL, Sale has a strong claim on the title of top starter in fantasy, narrowly outpacing Max Scherzer. |
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| Jul 22 2017 | Sale (12-4) fired six innings of scoreless baseball Friday against the Angels, allowing just four hits, walking two and striking out nine en route to the win. | Although it took 112 pitches to get through six frames, 72 of the southpaw's offerings went for strikes. The fact that the Red Sox offense provided five runs in the top of the first certainly helped his cause, but Sale also held his end of the bargain by not letting any Angels get into scoring position until the fifth inning. Sale continues to thrive in his new environment, as his ERA and K/9 improved further to 2.48 and 12.7, respectively. He'll look to continue his winning ways Wednesday in Seattle. |
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| Jul 15 2017 | Sale (11-4) allowed just three hits and two walks while tying a season-high with thirteen strikeouts through 7.2 shutout innings in a no-decision against the Yankees on Saturday. | Sale was nothing short of dominant yet again, throwing a season-high 118 pitches against New York, 85 of which were strikes. The southpaw has not received adequate run support lately, during his last four starts, the Red Sox have tallied 13 runs combined, with one apiece during his last two trips to the mound. During this particular outing, he handed the ball off to Craig Kimbrel, who wasn't able to close the door with a 1-0 lead. He now holds a 2.75 ERA with a WHIP of 0.90 and a remarkable 12.5 K/9. Sale's next start projects to be Thursday against the Blue Jays. |
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| Jul 10 2017 | Sale was named the American League's starting pitcher for Tuesday night's All-Star Game, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports. | This marks the second consecutive season that the ace left-hander will get the starting nod. Sale has been one of the most dominant pitchers in all of baseball this season, producing a 2.75 ERA and a 178:22 K:BB on the season while holding opposing hitters to a .200 batting average on the season. He will oppose National League starter Max Scherzer for the first few innings of the Midsummer Classic. |
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| Jul 6 2017 | Sale (11-4) allowed four runs on seven hits while striking out 12 batters through seven innings during Thursday's loss to Tampa Bay. | Sale really could have used more run support Thursday, as the Red Sox only scored once. It's obviously a solid fantasy return whenever a hurler adds 12 punchouts to their total, and it's also difficult to complain about Sale's elite first half: 11 wins, 2.75 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 12.6 K/9. This was also just the third time through 18 starts that the lefty has allowed more than three runs. Sale is a candidate to start the All-Star game, so when he'll toe the rubber for Boston next is unknown. |
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| Jul 1 2017 | Sale picked up his 11th win of the season Saturday in Toronto, turning in 7.0 scoreless innings with four hits, one walk and 11 strikeouts. | The Boston ace continued his dominant first half with another gem Saturday. According to |
| Jun 26 2017 | Sale (10-3) allowed just a single run on four hits and two walks while striking out nine batters through 6.1 innings during Monday's win over the Twins. | The lefty is posting another high-end fantasy campaign with a 2.77 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 12.3 K/9. He's a rare matchup-proof option and is building a strong Cy Young case. Sale projects to make his next start at Rogers Centre against the Blue Jays. |
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| Jun 20 2017 | Sale (9-3) tossed 8.1 innings Tuesday night against the Royals, allowing three runs on four hits and a walk while striking out 10 batters en route to the win. | Sale continued his dominant campaign, firing 79 of his 110 pitches for strikes while overmatching hitters with his fastball-slider combo. The ace southpaw now has 146 strikeouts on the season, which puts him on pace to set a new career best in whiffs. He was touched up for two home runs in the outing, with one being a solo shot in the second and the other coming in the ninth inning, but for the most he continued to be his outstanding self on the mound. Sale's next assignment is projected to come Monday against the Twins. |
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| Jun 15 2017 | Sale (8-3) allowed a single run on four hits and a walk while striking out 10 batters during Thursday's loss to Philadelphia. | Surprisingly, Sale was outdone by rookie Nick Pivetta on Thursday, as the rookie Phillie shutout the Red Sox. Sale's 10 punchouts ease the blow of missing out on the victory, and the lefty now sports an elite 2.82 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 12.4 K/9. He projects to make his next start at Kauffman Stadium against the Royals. |
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| Jun 10 2017 | Sale (8-2) gave up three runs on nine hits over seven innings in a win over the Tigers on Saturday. He struck out seven and did not issue a walk. | After eight consecutive double-digit strikeout performances, Sale has now fallen short of 10 strikeouts in four straight outings. He's also given up 25 hits in his last three starts, but his control remains sharp and he's won six straight decisions. There's little reason to think Sale won't continue to produce like an ace the rest of the way. |
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| Jun 6 2017 | Sale will get an extra day of rest during the current rotation and is scheduled to start Saturday at home against the Tigers, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports. | The Red Sox want Brian Johnson, pending the status of his hamstring injury, to fill in for Eduardo Rodriguez (knee) in Friday's series opener with the Tigers, pushing Sale out another day. After the soft-tossing Johnson on Friday, Sale's fastball will gain a few extra MPH in the eyes of Detroit hitters. |
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| Jun 5 2017 | Sale (7-2) allowed three runs on six hits and one walk while striking out nine over six innings in Sunday's 7-3 win over the Orioles. | Sale was presented with a 2-0 first-inning lead only to have Pablo Sandoval's ruinous defense help hand three runs to the O's in the bottom of the frame, running the left-hander's pitch count to 39. No problem. It gave Sale an opportunity to show off the bulldog side of him. He slammed the door on Baltimore over his final five innings to earn his seventh win of the season. Sale will miss the upcoming series with the first-place Yankees in New York and is next scheduled to start Friday when Boston returns home to face Detroit. |
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| May 31 2017 | Sale (6-2) gave up six runs (five earned) on 10 hits and two walks while striking out nine in Tuesday's 13-7 win over the White Sox. | It's only the second time this season in 11 trips to the mound that Sale has failed to deliver a quality start, and the first time he hasn't lasted at least six innings, but the left-hander had plenty of margin for error with Boston's bats crushing six homers on the night. Sale's next start will come Sunday in Baltimore. |
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| May 25 2017 | Sale (5-2) gave up four runs (three earned) over 7.1 innings in a win over the Rangers on Wednesday. He allowed six hits and a walk while striking out six. | Sale's offense had lain dormant for much of the game, but it awoke with a seven-run seventh inning that allowed him to leave a winner. His first season in Boston has been incredible so far -- this game broke a string of eight consecutive double-digit-strikeout efforts that stretched all the way back to April 10. Sale is the MLB leader in strikeouts by an enormous margin, as he has 101; the second-ranked Zack Greinke has just 78. |
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| May 20 2017 | Sale allowed two runs on seven hits and struck out 10 over seven innings in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Athletics. | Sale had double-digit strikeouts for an eighth straight start, but if hitters aren't doing their job, a pitcher can strike out 27 and it will do him no good. Boston's batters went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base. That's been a recurring theme for the left-hander who pitched well enough for the win, as he's done in all nine of his starts. His next turn through the rotation is due Wednesday at home against Texas. |
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| May 13 2017 | Sale (4-2) allowed three earned runs on two hits and a walk over seven innings in Saturday's win over Tampa Bay. He struck out 12. | It was another dominant performance for the lanky lefty. A pair of home runs were the only knocks against him in this one, as he struck out 12 Tampa Bay hitters. Sale's K/9 of 13.0 and K:BB of 85:13 through eight starts don't suggest that he's slowing down anytime soon. He'll make his next start on Friday in a very favorable matchup at Oakland. |
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| May 13 2017 | Sale's start Saturday against the Rays has been moved up from a night game to a 1:05 pm start, Julian Benbow of The Boston Globe reports. | Heavy rains and winds are expected for the New England region beginning late Saturday afternoon, so the teams agreed to move up the starting time. |
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| May 8 2017 | Sale (3-2) allowed four runs on four hits and three walks while striking out 10 in Sunday's 17-6 win over the Twins. | The game looks like it was a breeze for Boston but it was nail-biter until the Red Sox put up 10 runs in the ninth inning. Sale was given a rare multiple-run lead but gave it all back in the bottom of the fifth when the Twins scored four times to knot the game at 4-4. It was easily Sale's worst inning of the season and the six innings was his shortest start. His next start will be either Friday or Saturday against Tampa Bay. |
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| May 3 2017 | Sale (2-2) allowed two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out 11 over eight innings in Tuesday's 5-2 win over Baltimore. | Sale was dominant yet again, reaching double-digit strikeouts for a fifth straight start -- only Pedro Martinez in 2001 has achieved the same feat in Red Sox history -- and threw eight innings for a third straight start. He also put himself squarely in the middle of the brewing Boston-Baltimore rivalry when his first pitch to Manny Machado's was a 97-mph fastball behind his knees. The left-hander's message-sending pitch set off warnings to both teams and some jawing back and forth. And that occurred on an already-emotional night at Fenway Park as the ugly incident from the previous night, involving racial slurs directed toward the Orioles Adam Jones, still lingered. Through it all, Sale remained focused and very much like Boston's ace. |
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| Apr 28 2017 | Sale (1-2) allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits and struck out 10 over eight-plus innings in Thursday's 3-0 loss to the Yankees. | Manager John Farrell let Sale go out for the ninth inning but the left-hander tired and was tagged for two additional runs and three hits. Meanwhile, the Red Sox bats have gone silent, managing just 13 runs and a .202 batting average over the last seven games, including a mere one run in 18 innings against the Yankees. Paucity of offense has been a recurring theme for the team with Sale being its special victim. He has a 1.19 ERA over five starts but has been given four runs of support while he's been on the mound (37.2 innings). Sale will hope Boston's bats are improved by the time he makes his next start Tuesday at home against the Orioles. |
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| Apr 28 2017 | Sale allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits and struck out 10 over eight-plus innings in Thursday's 3-0 loss to the Yankees. | The Red Sox offense has gone silent, managing just 13 runs and a .202 batting average over the last seven games, including a mere one run in 18 innings against the Yankees. The offense has been a recurring theme with Sale being a special victim. The left-hander has a 1.19 ERA over five starts but has been given four runs of support while he's been on the mound (37.2 innings). Sale will hope Boston's bats are improved by the time he makes his next start Tuesday at home against the Orioles. |
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| Apr 20 2017 | Sale allowed four hits and a walk while striking out 13 over eight innings in Thursday's 4-1 extra-inning win over Toronto. | A potential win was negated when closer Craig Kimbrel allowed a game-tying run in the ninth.l What Sale as done through four starts with his new team is remarkable. The Red Sox have supported him with a mere four runs over the 29.2 innings he's pitched; Sale has yet to pitch with a two-run cushion; and he took the mound with a lead in just six of the 30 innings he's started. The left-hander has handled the pressure of a tight game flawlessly, putting the Red Sox in position to win three of his four starts. |
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| Apr 15 2017 | Sale (1-1) allowed one run on three hits and three walks while striking out 12 across seven innings to earn the win Saturday against the Rays. | Sale has pitched very well in each of his three games with the Red Sox, and the offense was finally able to scratch out enough run support to get him his first victory with his new team. Although it's based on a small-sample size, his 1.25 ERA to go along with a 0.74 WHIP is making his slightly-discounted draft value look like a fantastic bargain. He'll make his next start Wednesday against the Blue Jays. |
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| Apr 10 2017 | Sale (0-1) threw 7.2 innings of two-run ball in Monday's 2-1 loss to the Tigers, allowing two runs on five hits and one walk with 10 strikeouts. | Sale was excellent in this one but was done in by a solo home run by Ian Kinsler in the sixth and a Nick Castellanos single in the eighth, as Justin Verlander was equally dominant on the other end. The Red Sox gave up a king's ransom for the left in the offseason, but he has looked terrific in his first two starts and now carries a 1.23 ERA and a 17:2 K:BB through 14.2 innings in 2017. He has received just one run of support thus far, but it is only a matter of time before the talented Boston offense begins to pick him up with regularity. He will next face the Rays at home on Saturday. |
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| Apr 5 2017 | Sale struck out seven while giving up just three hits and a walk over seven shutout frames in a no-decision against Pittsburgh on Wednesday. | Budding Pittsburgh ace Jameson Taillon engaged in a brilliant pitchers' duel with Sale, as the two matched zeroes through seven frames. The lack of a win -- although the Red Sox ultimately came away victorious in extra innings -- takes nothing away from how dominant Sale was in this one. Boston's offense will typically be more supportive, meaning Sale should have a chance to make a run at his first 20-win season. |
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| Mar 27 2017 | Sale allowed six hits and a walk while striking out six over five innings in Sunday's game against the Twins, Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald reports. | Sale declared himself ready to go following his 91-pitch outing. He allowed baserunners in four of his five innings but avoided damage with the help of his defense -- a runner cut down at home, a runner picked off and a runner caught stealing. He'll have a shorter outing Friday, weather permitting, when the Red Sox face the Nationals in an exhibition game in Washington D.C., before taking the ball in the second game of the regular season next week. Over 21 spring innings, Sale has struck out 26 and walked just two. He's ready. |
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| Mar 21 2017 | Sale allowed two runs on four hits without a walk and struck out 10 over six innings Tuesday against the Yankees, Tim Britton of the Providence Journal reports. | Sale was on form right from the start, striking out multiple hitters in each of his first four frames, including three punchouts in the second. The left-hander worked ahead in the count, keeping Yankee hitters off guard with his pitch mix, and got his pitch count up to 86. While he won't be able to pitch like this every time he starts, Sale is certainly capable of this kind of performance whenever he's handed the ball. |
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| Mar 17 2017 | Sale didn't give up much loud contact but allowed three runs on seven hits while striking out three over four innings in Thursday's game against the Pirates, Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe reports. | Sale tossed 74 pitches Thursday, adding to his arm strength and reported feeling fine after the game, which is the news to take away from this outing. Sale, however, was not pleased about Pittsburgh hitters stringing together so many hits off weak contact. The left-hander will have two more starts before camp breaks, so he's right on schedule for the start of the regular season. |
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| Mar 11 2017 | Sale allowed one hit and one walk while striking out five in four scoreless innings Saturday against Tampa Bay, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports. | Sale dominated the Rays, striking out the side in the first inning and throwing strikes on 42 of his 56 offerings. When he didn't strikeout hitters, his other seven outs came via the groundball -- a sign that he was keeping his fastball down or had some late action. |
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| Mar 6 2017 | Sale allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and struck out two over two innings in Monday's game against Houston, Tim Britton of the Providence Journal reports. | Sale made his spring debut and was overall pleased with his performance, which included a 97 mph fastball, but needed 37 pitches and had his planned three-inning outing cut short. "The ball felt great coming out of my hand. I was able to throw all my pitches for strikes. That was a step in the right direction for that," said Sale. The only hard-hit ball allowed was a first-inning double to Marwin Gonzalez. His next outing is scheduled for Saturday against the Twins, with a pitch count of 55-to-60. |
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| Mar 1 2017 | Sale pitched a two-inning, 38-pitch simulated game Wednesday and is on track to make his spring-training debut next Monday against the Astros, Tim Britton of the Providence Journal reports. | Sale reported everything was normal and going as planned. He's just trying to get in his daily work and then build on that the next time he throws. He's scheduled to throw two innings against Houston. |
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| Feb 25 2017 | Sale will make his first Grapefruit League spring start March 6 against the Astros, Scott Lauber of ESPN.com reports. | The southpaw has impressed his new skipper early on in spring and he will have plenty of time to get himself ready for the regular season and acclimated with his new club. Manager John John Farrell hasn't yet announced a starter for Opening Day, but Sale is a strong candidate for the assignment. |
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| Feb 21 2017 | Sale threw 30 pitches in a live batting practice session, his first one as a member of the Red Sox, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports. | Sale impressed Boston manager John Farrell who noted the left-hander's ability to hit various parts of the strike zone, while the pitcher emphasized that it's all about process at this stage of spring training and getting himself prepared for the regular season. Farrell hasn't declared any order to his rotation, but Sale is a strong candidate to start Opening Day. |
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| Dec 6 2016 | The White Sox agreed to trade Sale to the Red Sox on Tuesday for four prospects, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. | After the field was narrowed down the Red Sox, Nationals and Braves, Boston ultimately won the Sale sweepstakes with a package headlined by Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech. Sale finished in the top five in the AL Cy Young voting for the fourth consecutive season, posting a 3.34 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 233:45 K:BB. He's under team control for three more seasons with team options for 2018 and 2019. |
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| Oct 3 2016 | Sale (17-10) lost after allowing five runs on six hits and one walk with six strikeouts in five innings against the Twins on Sunday. | It only took one pitch for Sale to fall behind, as Byron Buxton sped around the bases for an inside-the-park home run after launching Sale's first offering deep to center field. Sale also surrendered a conventional long ball to Miguel Sano in the third which brought home three runs. The 27-year-old is one of the American League's Cy Young frontrunners after compiling a 3.34 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and a 5.18 K/BB in 226.2 innings. He also led the MLB with six complete games, which helped him set a career high in innings. |
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| Sep 27 2016 | Sale (17-9) allowed three runs on eight hits and struck out seven over seven innings in a win Tuesday over Tampa Bay. | Sale has now thrown quality starts in all but one of his past nine starts and has walked either one or zero batters in all but two of those outings. However, Sale has been a bit susceptible to the home run battle in this stretch. He has now allowed seven home runs in those nine starts and 25 in 31 starts on the season as a whole. His 3.21 ERA ranks seventh in the American League, and if not for his troubles keeping the ball in the yard, Sale could be the leader himself. |
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| Sep 21 2016 | Sale (16-9) suffered an embarrassing loss Wednesday against the Phillies. He allowed six runs on seven hits while striking out five in four innings. | Wednesday marked Sale's second-shortest outing of the season, but was arguably his most humiliating performance of 2016. Entering the game, the Phillies owned MLB's second-worst team batting average (.238) and ranked dead last in team OPS (.682). Sale had pitched at least eight innings in each of his previous five starts, owning a 1.50 ERA while notching 50 strikeouts over 42 innings. The left-hander will look to forget this lackluster effort when he makes his next start Tuesday at home against the Rays. |
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| Sep 16 2016 | Sale allowed four runs (three earned) with 10 strikeouts and just one walk in a complete-game victory over the Royals on Friday. | Sale threw first-pitch strikes to 24 of 35 batters faced, induced nine ground-ball outs and notched double-digit strikeouts for the third time in the last five starts. He has taken it to another level down the stretch, as he has gone at least eight innings in each of his last six starts, while allowing no more than three runs in any and posting a stellar 58:9 K:BB ratio. He will have the opportunity to keep it rolling Wednesday against the Phillies. |
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| Sep 6 2016 | Sale allowed two runs on six hits and struck out eight over eight innings but took a no-decision Monday against the Tigers. | Sale was stellar other than a pair of solo home runs from Miguel Cabrera, a forgivable offense for even the best pitchers on their best days. He has now thrown four quality starts with an amazing 36:7 K:BB, 1.91 ERA and 0.88 WHIP over 33 innings. Look for him to continue to bring the fire down the stretch. |
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| Aug 31 2016 | Sale allowed two runs on eight hits, struck out six and walked four over eight innings but took a no-decision in a loss to the Tigers on Wednesday. | Detroit tied the game at two against Sale in the eighth and then won it in walk-off fashion versus David Robertson in the ninth. Sale threw 72 of his 111 pitches for strikes and induced 14 swing-and-misses. This was the third straight start where he threw at least eight frames, but he won just one of those outings. He is 15-7 with a 3.10 ERA, 1.02 WHIP ad 185 strikeouts in 185.2 innings. Sale will face Detroit against Monday at home. |
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| Aug 20 2016 | Sale (15-6) allowed just three hits over eight scoreless innings Saturday against Oakland. He walked three and struck out eight in the win. | Saturday marked Sale's first victory since July 2, ending a six-game winless streak for the 27-year-old. Now in his seventh big league season, Sale sits just two wins away from his career high set back in 2012. Although the ace's overall strikeout rate for this season sits at a career low, the southpaw has been picking up the punchouts lately. Over his last 29.2 innings, Sale has whiffed 32 opposing hitters. His next start is Friday against Seattle. He held the Mariners to a single hit over eight scoreless innings last month, so Sale could be in line for another big fantasy night when he toes the rubber next. |
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| Aug 15 2016 | Sale allowed five runs on eight hits over 6.2 innings Sunday against the Marlins to take his sixth loss of the season. | He struck out seven for the second consecutive start, but he suffered from a series of defensive miscues (including a few he made himself). The five runs were the most allowed in a start since the All-Star break, and he is now 0-4 since the beginning of July. |
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| Aug 9 2016 | Sale allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk with seven strikeouts over seven innings in a no-decision Tuesday against the Royals. | Sale has now thrown four consecutive quality starts, all on the road, but has gone 0-3 in this stretch thanks to a lack of run support. He is now up to 150 strikeouts in 154 innings this season, giving him an 8.9 K/9 that would be impressive for any other starting pitcher, but is well below Sale's standards. He had a 10.8 K/9 in 2014 and an 11.8 K/9 last season, and as things are going now, he will finish with his first season in which he failed to strike out at least as many batters as he has innings pitched. |
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| Aug 3 2016 | Sale (14-5) took the loss in an eight-inning complete game Wednesday against the Tigers. He allowed two runs on six hits and one walk while striking out 10. | Through Sale's first 17 starts of the year, the White Sox went 14-3; however, in the southpaw's last four outings, the team is 0-4. Of course not all of this can be put on Sale, but he hasn't exactly helped the cause throughout the losing streak. Over his last four games, the 27-year old has averaged three walks per nine, solidly above his BB/9 average on the season, and holds a 4.00 ERA during the skid. In his defense, Sale had one major blow up against the Braves (eight runs on ten hits over five innings) that skew the numbers, and he's actually lowered his ERA despite going 0-3 since July 8. In addition, Sale put together a string of three straight quality starts with nothing to show for his efforts. When you dissect all of this, you'll see the diagnosis doesn't have as much to do with the pitcher as it does with the White Sox anemic offense that has been a bottom-feeder in the AL for runs scored since June. Sale remains a Cy Young candidate in every sense of the term. He ranks in the AL's top five for wins, strikeouts, complete games, WHIP and innings pitched. |
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| Jul 28 2016 | Sale (14-4) gave up two runs on six hits and three walks with just four strikeouts over six innings in Thursday's loss to the Cubs. | Aside from the unusual lack of whiffs -- his second-lowest total of the year -- Sale was effective in his return from his jersey-destruction suspension, but he got narrowly outpitched by John Lackey. His relationship with the White Sox is clearly frayed; with the MLB trade deadline coming up and the team under .500, it's entirely possible that this could end up being Sale's last start with the team that drafted him 13th overall in 2010. |
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| Jul 28 2016 | Sale was officially reinstated from the suspended list Thursday. | As expected, Sale will return to the active roster after serving his team-imposed five-game suspension. Sale will start Thursday's series finale against the Cubs, while the club opted to send Wednesday's starter, Anthony Ranaudo, to Triple-A Charlotte. |
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| Jul 25 2016 | Sale (suspension) will return to start Thursday's matchup with the Cubs, Scot Gregor of the Daily Herald reports. | Sale was hit with a five-game ban over the weekend for insubordination and destroying team equipment in an incident stemming from his displeasure with the White Sox's throwback uniforms. He'll return when first eligible Thursday for the last of four meetings between the crosstown rivals. |
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| Jul 24 2016 | The White Sox announced that Sale would serve a five-game suspension stemming from a clubhouse incident prior to Saturday's game against the Tigers. "Chris has been suspended for violating team rules, for insubordination and for destroying team equipment," GM Rick Hahn said in the team's official statement. "While we all appreciate Chris' talent and passion, there is a correct way and an incorrect way to express concerns about team rules and organizational expectations." | Sale's insubordinate behavior was reportedly related to his dissatisfaction with the throwback jerseys the White Sox were scheduled to wear for Saturday's game. The left-hander felt the jersey made him uncomfortable while pitching, and he demonstrated his disdain for the apparel by destroying multiple jerseys with a knife during the White Sox's scheduled batting practice. Sale's actions prompted the team to scratch him from his scheduled start and send him home for the day, and as of Sunday, he still has yet to rejoin the team, according to Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago. Manager Robin Ventura wouldn't comment on the specifics of Saturday's incident, but did say he was optimistic about Sale and the organization making amends. Sale's five-game suspension will be retroactive to Saturday, so he's expected to be back in time to make his next turn in the rotation Thursday against the Cubs. The White Sox recalled Anthony Ranaudo from Triple-A Charlotte to take Sale's spot on the roster while he's under suspension, but Ranaudo will presumably head back to the minors once Sale is activated prior to Thursday's game. |
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| Jul 24 2016 | Sale is listed as the White Sox's probable starting pitcher for Thursday's game against the Cubs, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports. | Sale had been scheduled to start this past Saturday against the Tigers, but was scratched hours before game time due to what the White Sox deemed as a "non-physical clubhouse incident." It was later revealed that Sale had taken issue with the throwback uniforms the White Sox were set to wear for Saturday's game, and his dissatisfaction boiled over to the point that management decided it was best to send him home for the day. It's likely that the White Sox will address the Sale situation in-house within the next few days, but assuming that both the pitcher and the team are able to patch things up, he should be back on the mound for one final audition for potential suitors before the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline. |
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| Jul 23 2016 | Sale was sent home by the White Sox after cutting up the throwback uniforms the team was to wear Saturday, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. | In an official statement, the White Sox said Sale was scratched from Saturday's start following a "clubhouse incident," but they did not provide any details beyond mentioning that it was non-physical. Apparently, Sale felt the throwbacks were uncomfortable and was upset that he didn't get to pick the uniforms for his start (as starters typically do), and so he took a knife to all of the jerseys during batting practice. It's a bizarre story, and it's uncertain if Sale will ever toe the rubber again for the White Sox as his name has been mentioned frequently in trade rumors. |
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| Jul 23 2016 | Sale was scratched from his scheduled start Saturday following a non-physical clubhouse incident, the White Sox said in an official statement. | His scratch in the hours leading up to first pitch fueled speculation that the All-Star lefty could be on the move. Initial reports suggested Sale was ill (and not traded), but the White Sox later clarified that some sort of clubhouse incident led to his scratch, although details remain scarce. The team said the incident is "under further investigation by the club" and it will not comment further until the investigation is complete. Matt Albers will start in Sale's place Saturday. |
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| Jul 23 2016 | Sale has been scratched from Saturday's start against the Tigers because he has the flu, Doug Padilla of ESPN.com reports. | His name came up in trade rumors earlier this week, so initially it seemed like that was the reason the White Sox ace was scratched, but according to Padilla, it's because of an illness. It is unfortunate for Sale's owners that he was scratched Saturday, but if he were to be dealt to a more competitive team prior to the trade deadline, that could end up boosting his fantasy value down the stretch. Matt Albers will take the ball Saturday in what amounts to a bullpen game against the Tigers. |
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| Jul 18 2016 | Sale threw eight shutout innings and allowed just one hit and three walks with six strikeouts but took a no-decision Monday against the Mariners. | After giving up 12 runs in as many innings in his two starts before the All-Star break, Sale pitched like the ace he is again Monday night. Although he has allowed one run in seven innings or more five times this season, this marks just the second time he has kept the opponent scoreless. Unfortunately, David Robertson gave up four runs in the ninth to cost Sale the win, but if he keeps pitching like this, Sale (already 14-3) will find his way to 20 wins sooner rather than later. |
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| Jul 8 2016 | Sale (14-3) allowed eight runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out five over five innings to take the loss Friday against the Braves. | Despite allowing four runs in the first four innings, Sale was still in a 4-4 tie, but he then went on to allow an additional four runs in the fifth inning, leading to his third loss of the year. He's now failed to post a quality start in four of his last seven outings, and his ERA is at 3.38. He'll make his next start after the All-Star break. |
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| Jul 2 2016 | Sale (14-2) fanned nine over seven innings in Saturday's 7-6 victory over the Astros, while giving up five runs (four earned) on six hits and a walk. | Sale's afternoon didn't exactly get started on the right foot when he gave up a 393-foot homer to Jose Altuve in the first, but he managed to miss plenty of bats after that. The White Sox ace went on to induce 22 swinging strikes, and struck out nine batters for the second time in the last three starts. Sale now has four straight quality starts, and will go for five in a row versus the Braves next Friday. |
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| Jun 21 2016 | Sale (12-2) gave up just one run on four hits and a walk and struck out nine over seven innings in a win Tuesday over the Red Sox. | Sale struggled over his past five starts, in which he allowed 20 runs in 29.2 innings (6.07 ERA), but he was still racking up the strikeouts with 31 in that span, so it was only a matter of time before he figured it out. He induced 14 swinging strikes in 111 pitches as he looked as nasty as ever. He's now up to 102 strikeouts in 105 innings, but he's still on pace for his first season with fewer strikeouts than innings pitched since he came up to the majors in 2010. |
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| Jun 16 2016 | Sale (11-2) tossed seven solid frames Wednesday in a win against the Tigers, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out seven. | He had a tough second inning in which he gave up all three runs, but otherwise largely kept his nose clean otherwise and got just enough help from his offense. Sale hit a bit of a rough patch over his prior four outings, giving up 17 runs in 22.2 innings, but there was no reason to expect those struggles would last for one of baseball's very best pitchers. His strikeout rate may be down this year, but the ratios are as excellent as ever. |
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| Jun 11 2016 | Sale allowed five runs on 11 hits in six innings Friday, but he still earned his 10th win of the season. | He allowed three home runs for just the sixth time in his career, and he allowed a home run to a left-handed batter for just the third time in his career. However, the White Sox's offense did enough to give Sale his 10th win of the year. There has been much written this year about how Sale has succeeded in pitching to contact, so it is worth noting a few recent downgrades behind him (Austin Jackson will be out of center for a while and Tim Anderson is now at short). |
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| Jun 4 2016 | Sale (9-2) allowed four runs on nine hits over 6.1 innings during Saturday's 7-4 loss to the Tigers. He also struck out just two and walked two in defeat. | After winning his first nine outings, Sale has two losses and a no-decision in his last three starts. Over those three outings, he has a 6.48 ERA, which has caused his season ERA to rise from 1.58 to 2.54. But what was really strange about Saturday's outing was Sale's lack of strikeouts. He only had five swing-and-misses, which helped lead to a season-low two punchouts. He will look to get back on track Friday against the Royals. |
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| May 29 2016 | Sale (9-1) tossed seven innings Sunday, allowing two runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven, but came away with a no-decision in a 5-4 loss to the Royals. | He was in line to become the majors' first 10-game winner this season before the White Sox bullpen once again fell apart. It was still Sale's ninth quality start in 11 trips to the mound and fourth in his last five outings, and he's struck out at least six batters in seven straight starts and 10 of 11 this season. He'll take another shot at win No. 10 in Detroit on Saturday. |
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| May 24 2016 | Sale (9-1) allowed six runs on seven hits and four walks with seven strikeouts as he lasted just 3.1 innings in a loss Tuesday against Cleveland. | Sale's season had been nearly perfect and he was bound to slip up at some point. This marks his first start all season in which he has failed to go at least five innings or hold his opponent to three runs or fewer, and just the second time an opponent has scored more than one run off him since April 9. Sale was still nasty -- he drew nine swinging strikes in striking out seven -- but he was wild all day and caught too much of the plate when he could find the zone. He'll look to get back on track Sunday against Kansas City. |
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| May 19 2016 | Sale (9-0) kept his record pristine by posting his second consecutive complete game Thursday, holding the Astros to four hits and one run (a solo homer) while striking out nine. | Sale, Jake Arrieta and Clayton Kershaw are in the midst of an incredible duel for honors as the best pitcher in baseball this year, and this game provides another strong argument in favor of the South Siders' lefty ace. No other pitcher in baseball has tossed three complete games, and only Kershaw has narrowly bettered Sale's 68.1 innings pitched and 0.72 WHIP (70 and 0.70, respectively). His nine wins in nine starts give him a two-victory lead over the second-place tie between Arrieta and Stephen Strasburg, and it's well worth noting that the 25-16 White Sox have only been a .500 team when Sale's not on the mound. |
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| May 13 2016 | Sale was outstanding again Friday night allowing just one run on six hits, he did not issue a walk, and struck out six in a complete game win over the Yankees. | It's difficult to find new words to describe Sale (8-0) when he's in a groove. He needed just 99 pitches (71 for strikes) to keep his record perfect and lower his ERA to a microscopic 1.67 on the year. People still whisper about injury risk based on his violent delivery, but until that happens, if it ever does, he clearly remains a top tier starting pitcher. He'll face off against the Astros in Chicago next time out. |
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| Apr 26 2016 | Sale (5-0) cruised through eight innings in Sunday's 10-1 blowout of the Blue Jays, surrendering just one run on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts. | This was Sale's second straight start with less than a strikeout per inning, but owners shouldn't worry much considering the lefty finished each of his first six MLB seasons with a K/9 of 9.00 or higher. On the bright side, Sale's lack of strikeouts allowed him to get through eight innings in an efficient 100 pitches, with his lone blemish coming on a seventh-inning Edwin Encarnacion solo home run with the game well out of reach. He has won each of his first five starts, but extending that streak could be tricky as his next outing falls Sunday on the road against the homer-happy Orioles. |
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| Apr 24 2016 | Sale, who was supposed to start Monday against the Jays, will now start Tuesday, Paul Skrbina of the Chicago Tribune reports. | There does not appear to be any sign of injury here, so manager Robin Ventura may simply be inserting a sport starter to give the rest of the rotation rest in a month that has featured few off days. Erik Johnson (currently in the bullpen) and Miguel Gonzalez (currently at Triple-A) are the two top candidates for Monday's nod. |
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| Apr 20 2016 | Sale (4-0) allowed one unearned run on two hits, struck out three and walked none in Wednesday's 2-1 victory over the Angels. | The White Sox's ace is simply at his best right now. He hasn't given up an earned run for 16 straight innings and has allowed just four base runners during that time. He also hasn't walked a hitter for 21 consecutive frames. Against the Angels, Sale only had eight swing-and-misses but did throw 76 of his 108 pitches for strikes. The left-hander will look to continue his dominance in his next start against the Blue Jays on Monday. |
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| Apr 15 2016 | Sale (1-0) struck out nine and threw a two-hit, complete-game shutout in Friday's 1-0 victory over the Rays. | The White Sox ace was simply masterful in mowing down a Rays squad that has struggled to score in the first two weeks of the season. He found the strike zone with 71 of his 106 pitches and induced 18 swings-and-misses along the way as well. He retired 16 straight between the second and seventh innings, and has now racked up 23 whiffs in 23 innings of work. Sale will look to extend his stellar start to the season when he takes the mound against the Angels next Wednesday. |
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| Apr 10 2016 | Sale (2-0) surrendered six hits, three earned runs and two walks over seven innings in Saturday's 7-3 victory over the Indians. He struck out six. | Sale had a bit of trouble with the long ball, but was otherwise sharp in posting his second victory in as many trips to the mound. The 27-year-old upped his pitch count to 107 after throwing 104 in the opener versus Oakland, and encouragingly induced 13 ground ball outs. While the whiffs are a bit down from the typical elite-level rate he's set as a standard, Sale is expected to once again be one of the most dominant pitchers in the majors in 2016. |
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| Apr 4 2016 | Sale (1-0) earned the win Monday against the Athletics, allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk over seven innings. He struck out eight. | Sale was vicious as usual, as he induced 18 swinging strikes in 104 pitches. Two of his eight strikeouts came with runners in scoring position, so he was able to find whiffs when he needed them. Despite Sale fanning more than a batter per inning, his eight strikeouts were under his 2015 average of 8.83 strikeouts per start. Expect Sale to continue to rack up the strikeouts, as he's never finished a season under 9.0 K/9. |
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| Mar 29 2016 | Sale will pitch Opening Day against the A's, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. | The announcement doesn't come as much of a surprise, as Sale has been one of the more dominant pitchers in all of baseball the last few seasons, finishing in the top five of the AL Cy Young voting three years in a row. He'll be opposed by Sonny Gray on the other side when the White Sox open up their season on Monday. |
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| Mar 20 2016 | Sale held the Dodgers to two runs on six hits in 5.1 innings Saturday in his Cactus League debut. | Sale allowed a solo home run to Howie Kendrick but otherwise limited the Dodgers to a bunch of singles. Sale's lack of spring training action had nothing to do with his health, and it looks like his stamina should not be a question heading into the second half of camp. |
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| Mar 15 2016 | Sale threw 75 pitches in a "B" game Monday, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | Sale has yet to pitch in a Cactus League game due to a desire to keep his workload down this summer and prevent opposing teams from getting too much film on him or at-bats against him. However, he appears to be building up his arm appropriately. He should debut against the Dodgers this weekend. |
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| Feb 28 2016 | Sale currently projects as the White Sox's Opening Day starter, the team's official site reports. | Manager Robin Ventura has yet to officially announce the order of his rotation, but the spring training scheduling suggests Sale will take the mound on Opening Day against the A's. Sale's place atop the team's rotation should come as no surprise, as he has been one of the top starters in the league in recent years. |
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| Feb 26 2016 | Sale won't pitch in a Cactus League game until March 19, Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago reports. | Sale broke a bone in his right foot last February that caused him to miss approximately three weeks, so the White Sox have decided to limit his exposure to injury by delaying his starts until late March. Chicago's ace will continue to put in work every day, and the coaching staff believes he will have ample time to prepare for Opening Day. |
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| Oct 2 2015 | Sale (13-11) gave up one run on five hits and a walk over seven innings while striking out seven in Friday's win over Detroit. | It speaks to how remarkable Sale has been that a season in which he ranks second in the league in strikeouts can be considered an off year. Sale posted the highest ERA of his career in 2015 and his highest WHIP since 2012. Sale's 2015 was three dazzling months sandwiched by three months of performances below his standard. From May through July, Sale posted a 7-5 record with a 2.80 ERA and 0.98 WHIP. In April, August and September Sale was 6-6 with a 4.16 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. |
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| Sep 25 2015 | Sale (12-11) allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out eight Yankees across seven innings in a 3-2 loss on Thursday. | Sale's one blip came on a Carlos Beltran three-run bomb and that ultimately led to the loss. The 12-11 record is unfair to Sale, as he is easily one of the best pitchers in baseball. His .326 BABIP and 2.61 xFIP indicate that he's been unlucky this season and he's a great candidate to bounce back next year. With that said, a 3.48 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with 267 strikeouts are no slouch numbers. He'll look to keep striking batters out against the Royals next Thursday. |
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| Sep 18 2015 | Sale struggled again Friday night, allowing seven runs (one earned) on eight hits, walking three and striking out nine over seven innings of a 12-1 loss to Cleveland. | Sale (12-10, 3.47 ERA) pitched very well with the exception of the third inning where he gave up six runs. Thankfully for his fantasy owners, a Carlos Sanchez error made all six of those runs unearned, but Sale has not been as dominant lately as he was earlier in the year. He needed 116 pitches (75 for strikes) to cover the seven innings, and he wasn't consistently hitting his spots. He is still piling up strikeouts because his stuff is still dazzling, but he'll have to try and recapture his command to be the true ace he can be at his best. |
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| Sep 13 2015 | Sale was rocked for six runs on nine hits in just three innings Sunday against the Twins. He struck out three. | The lefty was hit early and often in this one, as he allowed four runs in the first and another pair in the third, working up to 71 pitches before his removal. Sale simply hasn't had it against the Twins this season, as he has compiled a 6.30 ERA in five starts. He will look to rebound Friday against the Indians. |
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| Sep 3 2015 | Sale's next start will be Monday at home against the Indians, MLB.com's Scott Merkin reports. | He was on tap to take the ball Sunday in Kansas City, but Erik Johnson will instead join the rotation and start that game. Nothing official has been announced, but it seems like the White Sox could be moving to a six-man rotation, in which case Sale's owners may lose out on one start over the final four weeks of the season. |
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| Sep 1 2015 | Sale took a no decision Tuesday against Minnesota as he allowed four runs on nine hits and a walk over 6.1 innings. He struck out 10. | According to Baseball Prospectus, the White Sox have the worst defensive efficiency in the American League, having turned only 68.5 percent of batted balls in play into outs. You have to feel for Sale, who drew nine ground balls on 18 balls in play and still allowed nine hits. Sale drew a whopping 15 swinging strikes in 113 pitches, and you have to wonder where his 3.29 ERA would be if he was in front of a competent defense. |
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| Aug 27 2015 | Sale took a no-decision on Wednesday against the Red Sox in spite of not surrendering a run and striking out seven over seven innings. He yielded five hits and walked two. | A surprising lack of run support ultimately doomed Sale on a night in which he was certainly effective enough to earn a victory. The ace of the ChiSox staff has now posted four consecutive quality starts, including 14 and 15-strikeout outings, and has recovered nicely from disastrous back-to-back appearances earlier in the summer in which he gave up a combined 14 earned runs. Sale also fared much better on Wednesday against a BoSox team that was the culprit of one of those uncharacteristic performances, tagging him for 12 hits and seven earned runs at Fenway on July 30. |
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| Aug 21 2015 | Sale (12-7) was brilliant on Saturday, striking out 14 Mariners over seven innings in an 11-4 win. He allowed three runs on four hits and a walk. | Sale was cruising through six innings, but allowed three consecutive hits in the seventh including a three-run bomb to Mark Trumbo. His FIP is at 2.36 which makes his 3.32 ERA seem a bit unfair. It's games like these that have raised that ERA and all the peripherals point to him being the same stud he's always been despite the unusual ERA. His next start comes against Boston next Wednesday. |
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| Aug 16 2015 | Sale was stellar in Sunday's start, striking out 15 batters with just two walks in seven shutout innings en route to his 11th win of the season. | The lefty only allowed one hit in this dominant performance and would have gone even deeper into the game if not for his elevated pitch count. Sale has bounced back expertly since allowing seven earned runs in back-to-back starts, giving up just two runs with 22 strikeouts in 14.1 innings over his last two outings. He will look to keep up his recent form Friday at Seattle. |
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| Aug 10 2015 | Sale won his 10th game Monday over the Angels as he allowed two runs on five hits and two walks over 7.1 innings. He struck out seven. | Sale's ERA dropped to 3.47, still well over a run higher than his 2014 mark of 2.17. Sale is carrying the ill effects of two rough starts his last two times out, in which he served up 14 runs on 18 hits over just 10.1 innings. He now has 16 starts with at least seven strikeouts after doing so 17 times in 2014. |
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| Aug 4 2015 | Sale took a drubbing Tuesday against the Rays, as he allowed seven runs on six hits and three walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out nine. | A Sale start is rarely useless, as he still induced 20 swinging strikes en route to the nine strikeouts. Sale has now allowed seven runs in two straight starts after and has seen his ERA balloon from 2.85 to 3.52 in a flash. It's probably a blip, as Sale's peripherals are still brilliant, but it's a reminder that even the best pitchers remain vulnerable in small samples. |
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| Jul 30 2015 | Sale (9-6) struggled Thursday, allowing seven runs on 12 hits, a walk and two hit batsmen in just five innings, though he still struck out seven. | Sale's now posted his only two double-digit-hit outings of the year in his last three starts, so it could be that a bit of midseason fatigue is setting in. However, 11 of the 12 hits against him were singles, and he's still been keeping his walks down -- he hasn't issued more than one in a game since June 14. While his streak of double-digit-strikeout games ended some time ago, Sale's still not slouching in that category. Look for him to get back on track Tuesday against the Rays. |
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| Jul 26 2015 | Sale held the Indians to two runs on seven hits in seven innings Saturday to earn his ninth win of the season. | Sale struggled in his first start back from the All-Star break, but he got back on track Saturday with seven strikeouts and zero walks. He remains one of the finest starters in the American League, leading the league with 170 strikeouts and a 2.31 FIP. |
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| Jul 19 2015 | Sale lost his fifth game of the season Sunday against the Royals, allowing four runs on 11 hits and a walk in 6.1 innings. He struck out six. | The lefty was simply too hitable on the day but was still able to limit the damage, aside from a pair of homers that accounted for three total runs. Sale's ERA still sits at a sterling 2.86 on the season and he will look to get back on track Saturday against the Indians. |
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| Jul 17 2015 | Sale has been confirmed as the starter for Sunday's game against the Royals. | As expected, Sale will make his first start after the break Sunday as the White Sox close out a four-game set with Kansas City. Sale has been brilliant in each of his last three starts, allowing four combined earned runs and striking out 28 over 24.0 innings. |
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| Jul 12 2015 | Sale won his eighth game of the season Saturday, allowing just one run on six hits and a walk over seven innings while striking out 10. | It's the 10th time in his last 12 starts that Sale has struck out 10 or more batters, pushing his K/9 rate on the season to an eye-popping 11.84. If he can stay healthy and maintain something close to that pace in the second half, Sale has a chance of being the first pitcher to strike out 300-plus batters in a season since Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling accomplished the feat in 2002. |
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| Jul 6 2015 | Sale continued his dominance Monday, earning the win by holding the Blue Jays to two runs in a complete game effort. | Sale only struck out six, breaking a string of eight straight double-digit strikeout games, but was still masterful in this one. The lefty will carry a tidy 2.80 ERA and 0.94 WHIP into his start this weekend against the Cubs. |
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| Jul 3 2015 | Sale's next start has been pushed to Monday against the Blue Jays. | He was originally scheduled to close out this weekend's series against the Orioles, but he has thrown over 110 pitches in nine of his last 10 starts, so the White Sox will opt to give him a day. Sale has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this year, and is probably the front-runner for the Cy Young award in the American League. |
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| Jul 1 2015 | The White Sox are considering pushing Sale's next start back to Monday, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | Sale has seen a relatively heavy workload this season and especially lately, tossing 111-plus pitches in each of his last eight starts. The team may give him an extra day this time through the rotation and give Carlos Rodon the nod Sunday, which would mean Sale would have to face baseball's top scoring offense in the Blue Jays his next time out. |
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| Jun 30 2015 | Sale took a no decision despite a brilliant start Tuesday against the Cardinals, as he struck out 12 and allowed just one run on six hits and a walk in eight innings. | The White Sox needed 12 innings to scratch across two runs, keeping Sale from winning yet again. The white Sox have now stuck him with a no decision four times when Sale has pitched at least seven innings and allowed two runs or fewer. Sale's brilliance is obvious -- he now has a 2.87 ERA and 141 strikeouts in just 103.1 innings -- but it doesn't look like the White Sox are going to help him rack up the wins any time soon. |
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| Jun 24 2015 | Sale (6-4) struck out 10, but gave up six runs (five earned) on eight hits and a walk over 6.2 innings in Minnesota on Wednesday. | Sale has now incredibly struck out double-digit batters in seven consecutive starts, but he gave up almost as many runs in this one as he had in the other six put together. The Twins were able to cluster their hits together into a pair of rallies off Sale, but that certainly hasn't been a common occurrence for the spectacular lefty, who now owns a ridiculous 129 strikeouts in 95.1 innings this year. He next gets the Cardinals on Tuesday. |
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| Jun 19 2015 | Sale was exceptional Friday against the Rangers, striking out 14 batters and walking none during eight shutout innings. He did not factor into the decision as Texas came from behind to win in the ninth. | It's a shame the lefty wasn't able to pick up the win, but he was stellar again and has now struck out at least 10 batters in six straight starts, bringing his total to a league-leading 119 K's. Sale has also lowered his ERA all the way down to 2.74 after a rocky start to the season and will look to continue this stretch of elite performances Wednesday against the Twins. |
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| Jun 15 2015 | Sale allowed two runs on three hits in 6.2 innings Sunday, but he still took the loss to the Rays. | He struck out 12 and walked three, but the White Sox's offense was unable to spot him more than one run. The outing made Sale the first pitcher since Pedro Martinez to strike out 12+ batters in four consecutive starts, and he is just the third pitcher overall since 1914 to accomplish the feat. Sale is also averaging 118 pitches per start over his past four contests, and his usage is worth monitoring. |
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| Jun 8 2015 | Sale (6-2) struck out a season-high 14 while holding the Astros to a run on five hits and a walk over eight innings in Monday's 3-1 victory. | That's his fourth consecutive double-digit-strikeout game, and the totals keep getting bigger -- first 10, then 12, then 13, now 14. All the while, Sale's been keeping his walks down and pitching deep into games. The ERA, inflated early, is now down to 3.04, and it should drop further as the season goes on. The lefty ace's fantasy owners get treated to two starts this week, as he draws Tampa Bay on Sunday. |
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| Jun 4 2015 | Sale struck out a season-high 13 and allowed three hits and two walks in seven shutout innings against the Rangers on Wednesday. | Sale (5-2) allowed five baserunners in the first three innings before retiring the final 14 hitters he faced. He's now had his second straight scoreless outing, increasing his scoreless streak to 19.2 innings. The ace will look to continue his streak in his next scheduled start Monday against Houston. |
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| May 28 2015 | Sale (4-2) pitched 7.2 dominant innings Thursday against Baltimore, striking out 12 while allowing just four hits, no walks and no runs. | The bullpen very nearly blew it for him in the ninth inning, but they were able to hold on to preserve a 3-2 victory in the opening game of Thursday's doubleheader. Sale has now racked up double-digit strikeouts in three of his last four starts, with 40 total in that span. His ERA's still got some course correcting to do after a couple rough outings earlier this year, so expect Sale to keep the good times rolling as he faces Texas on Wednesday. |
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| May 23 2015 | Sale took the loss Saturday, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and a walk over eight innings, while striking out 10. | That's now three strong starts in a row for Sale, who's dragged his ERA down to 4.21 and posted an outstanding 28:4 K:BB in 24 innings over that stretch. His next turn in the rotation is scheduled for one game of Thursday's doubleheader on the road against the Orioles. |
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| May 18 2015 | Sale had his second consecutive strong start Monday against the Indians, lasting eight innings and only giving up one run and four hits while striking out seven. | Sale's ERA had rocketed up to 5.93 five starts into the season, but his past two starts have been much more typically ace-like. In that span, he's struck out 18 batters and only walked three. He'll look to continue this strong streak in his next scheduled start Saturday against the Twins. |
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| May 13 2015 | Sale (suspension) held the Brewers to two runs on three hits over eight innings Tuesday to earn his third win of the season. | Coming off a string of clunkers, Sale turned it on against the Brewers, striking out 11 of the 28 batters he faced and walking only one. The Brewers' offense can break several pitchers' cold streaks, and Sale should face another underperforming offense in the Indians for his next start. |
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| May 13 2015 | Sale fanned 11 batters Tuesday, earning the win against the Brewers while allowing two runs and three hits in eight innings. | This was a much-needed outing for Sale, who had allowed a combined 13 earned runs in his two previous starts. He has still given up four home runs this year, but Sale's strikeout rate will always help fantasy owners. He'll look to continue this success in his next start Monday against the Indians. |
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| May 12 2015 | Sale's five-game suspension is over, and he is set to return to the mound Tuesday night against the Brewers. | Sale's last start came May 6, so his suspension only pushed him back one day, and gave him five days between starts instead of four. The extra rest may not have been a bad thing after Sale was tagged for 13 earned runs in 8.1 innings over his last two starts. He will square off against a Brewers team that scored 25 runs over its last three games. |
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| May 8 2015 | Sale (suspension) has been throwing fewer sliders and more changeups this season in an effort to reduce strain on his elbow, the Chicago Tribune reports. | Sale's slider is one of the more lethal pitches in MLB (opposing hitters managed just a .155 average off it last year over his career), and it has generally been the second most popular pitches in his repertoire. However, this year he has thrown 133 changeups to 49 sliders, and he has had a difficult time locating both. He may still be a bit rusty after missing nearly all of spring training, but hopefully that rust starts to fade as he gets more innings under his belt. |
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| May 7 2015 | Sale began serving his suspension Thursday, MLB.com's Scott Merkin reports. | This was fully anticipated as the White Sox were waiting until finishing their series with the Tigers to sit down their suspended starters. All this means is that Sale's start will be pushed back one day, with Carlos Rodon slotting into the rotation for a spot start this weekend. More concerning perhaps is his struggles over his last two starts. He has given up 13 earned runs over 8.1 innings over his last two starts, including issuing a career-high five walks over 5.1 innings in his last start. Manager Robin Ventura suggested that Sale was not locating his pitches in either of those starts, and his velocity seems to be where it usually is. Sale will look to get back on track Tuesday at Milwaukee. |
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| May 7 2015 | Sale gave up seven hits, five walks and five runs with six strikeouts in 5.1 innings Wednesday against the Tigers. | After a strong start to the season, Sale has had back-to-back disappointing performances. In his past two games, Sale pitched only 8.1 innings and gave up 13 runs. His ERA has now ballooned up to 5.93 and he'll look to bounce back in his next start Tuesday at Milwaukee. |
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| May 1 2015 | Sale lasted only three innings Thursday, giving up nine hits, two walks and nine runs- eight earned- to go with four strikeouts in a loss to the Twins. | Sale gave up a career-high nine runs and seven of them came in the third. Kurt Suzuki, Shane Robinson, and Eduardo Escobar had bloop hits for RBIs to put the Twins in front and Brian Dozier capped it off with a three-run blast deep into the left field seats to give the Twins a 9-2 lead. It was just the third home run Sale has allowed in 18 career appearances against the Twins. All three were by Dozier. Sale will look to bounce back in his next scheduled start Wednesday against Detroit. |
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| Apr 25 2015 | Sale will appeal the five-game suspension that he received from MLB for his involvement in Thursday's brawl with the Royals, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports. | Sale is scheduled to start Tuesday against the Orioles, while the White Sox may be able to utilize an off-day on May 4 to their advantage if the appeal process takes more than a week. Sale and Jeff Samardzija both received five-game suspensions, and both players are appealing. |
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| Apr 25 2015 | Sale will be suspended five games for his role in Thursday's brawl with the Royals. | Five games could look significant, but it really isn't for practical purposes. Sale will likely miss a single start as the suspension would begin Sunday (he would have pitched Tuesday or Wednesday) and might force Chicago to call up a minor league pitcher to cover in the meantime. |
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| Apr 23 2015 | Sale was ejected between the seventh and eighth inning of Thursday's contest following a benches-clearing incident, Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune reports. | Sale pitched seven innings Thursday, allowing two runs on nine hits and a walk, with two strikeouts. However, his performance on the mound takes a back seat to the possibility of a suspension for his next start. Right now, that start would come Tuesday against the Orioles, but whether or not he's on the mound depends on how the situation unfolds over the next couple days. |
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| Apr 18 2015 | Sale won his second straight start on Saturday, allowing two runs on four his and a walk over six innings, striking out six. | That's now a 14:2 K:BB ratio in 12 innings for Sale, who's showing absolutely no ill effects from his delayed start to the season. After taming the Tigers on Saturday, he'll go up against the red-hot Royals at home in his next turn. |
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| Apr 13 2015 | Sale held the Twins to one run on five hits over six innings Sunday to pick up the win in his return from a foot injury. He struck out eight and walked one over his 98 pitches. | For those of you who might have been concerned about Sale being a bit rusty after a shortened spring and a delayed debut, his 98th pitch checked in at over 98 mph. There should be few concerns about Sale's health moving forward, and he should immediately re-stake his perch among the AL's elite tier of pitchers. |
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| Apr 12 2015 | Sale (foot) was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list Sunday. | Sale is scheduled to take the hill against Phil Hughes and the Twins, but will be limited to roughly 90-95 pitches. Even with the limitation, Sale should be poised for a productive outing against a light-hitting Minnesota lineup, and is a must-start in nearly all season-long fantasy formats. |
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| Apr 10 2015 | Manager Robin Ventura indicated Friday that Sale will be good for 90-95 pitches in his first outing of the season Sunday, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | Sale tossed 72 pitches in a minor league game Monday as he continued to build his arm strength. Depending on how well it goes, 90-95 pitches could get him deep into the contest. A good start is badly needed for the White Sox, who began the season 0-4 following a loss to the Twins Friday. |
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| Apr 9 2015 | Sale (foot) declared himself "ready to rock" for a season-debut Sunday against the Twins, the Chicago Tribune reports. | Sale, who missed nearly the entire spring with an avulsion fracture in his right foot, threw 72 pitches in a minor league game Monday and is feeling no ill effects from that outing. The Twins' offense should make for a comfortable cushion in his first start of the season. |
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| Apr 6 2015 | Sale (foot) pitched five innings in a minor league game Monday, tossing 72 pitches, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | Sale remains on track to miss just one start, and fared pretty well in his out, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out seven. Barring a setback of some kind, he should be good to go for his April 12 start. |
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| Apr 5 2015 | Sale (foot) was placed on the 15-day DL on Sunday. | Sale is still expected to pitch one more minor league game, and this DL stint should be backdated enough for the lefty to rejoin the Chicago rotation after it's first turn. He's been mowing down minor league hitters, and doesn't expect to be limited after rejoining the big league roster. |
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| Apr 1 2015 | Sale (foot) felt good after Wednesday's outing and is expected to pitch in one more minor league game. | Sale had a very strong outing Wednesday, tossing six innings with 13 strikeouts and just two hits allowed. The lefty appeared to get through the game pain-free, so he should be able to rejoin the team after his next minor league start. |
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| Mar 31 2015 | Sale (foot) will pitch in a minor league game Wednesday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. | Sale will face live hitters for the second time since sustaining a foot fracture, as he pitched in a simulated game last week without any setbacks. The lefty will miss his first turn though the rotation in the regular season but remains on track to rejoin the team either Apr. 11 or 12. |
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| Mar 27 2015 | After Sale (foot) completed Friday's simulated game, White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper said the lefty will only miss one start at the beginning of the season, ESPN Chicago's Doug Padilla reports. | Sale apparently made it through the sim game without incident, as he remains on track to make his 2015 debut either Apr. 11 or 12 against the Twins. Jeff Samardzija will start in Kansas City on Opening Day, but Sale's foot injury won't otherwise have much impact on the White Sox's season. |
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| Mar 25 2015 | Sale (foot) will officially not be the Opening Day starter for the White Sox, the Chicago Sun-Times' Daryl Van Schouwen reports. | While it is not a surprise that he will not be ready in time to make that start, it does shed some light on when he could potentially join the rotation. Given his current schedule, April 11 or April 12 are the two most likely days for him make his 2015 debut, unless he has to be skipped a second time through the rotation. He is currently scheduled to pitch a simulated game this Friday. |
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| Mar 24 2015 | Sale (foot) will throw a bullpen session Wednesday and will pitch a simulated game Friday, 670 The Score's Bruce Levine reports. | His schedule now suggests he will start a game of some type on April 1, and again on April 6 if everything goes according to plan. The venue of the April 6 game is to be determined. Theoretically he could pitch Opening Day for the Sox (although probably on a 70-80 pitch limit), given the way his schedule is lining up. Other options include joining the rotation for the fifth or sixth game of the season on April 11 or April 12, respectively. |
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| Mar 23 2015 | Sale (foot) did some running Monday and will pitch in some type of game situation on Friday, ESPN Chicago's Doug Padilla reports. | He is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday, and continues to progress in his recovery from the foot injury he sustained earlier in camp. It will be worth checking in to see what he is able to get done Friday, but it's looking like he will be joining Chicago's rotation in mid-April. |
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| Mar 14 2015 | Sale (foot) has been throwing off a mound, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. | Sale has reported being able to move much more easily and feeling better as he's been doing light mound work and long toss. He's still expected to miss Opening Day, but if all goes well in his recovery, the lefty could miss just one start before making his season debut. |
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| Mar 11 2015 | Manager Matt Williams indicated Wednesday that Sale (foot) won't be ready for Opening Day, the Chicago Tribune reports. | Sale suffered an avulsion fracture and sprained ankle at his home Feb. 27, and the injury will keep him sidelined through the beginning of the season. However, Williams suggested that Sale could be in line to start April 12 against the Twins, which would basically mean he will skip one start before making his debut. It shouldn't cost owners much time, but it's worth noting that his season will be starting a bit later than other aces around the league. |
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| Mar 7 2015 | Sale revealed Saturday that he has a sprained ankle in addition to the avulsion fracture in his right foot, Bruce Levine of 670thescore.com reports. | Sale stressed that he is on track in his recovery and reiterated that his goal is still not to miss any time, but manager Robin Ventura has already said that the lefty's chances of being ready for Opening Day are "slim." While Sale is keeping up with his strength program and is throwing off one knee, he admitted that it still hurts to put pressure on the foot. |
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| Mar 2 2015 | Chances are "slim" that Sale (foot) will be ready to start for the White Sox on Opening Day, according to manager Robin Ventura, the Chicago Tribune's Colleen Kane reports. | The avulsion fracture in Sale's right foot will keep him away from baseball activities until the middle of March, and he likely won't have enough time to get ready for the start of the season. In the end, this may only come down to Sale missing one start for Chicago, and with the current information we have, he should still be treated like a No. 1 starting pitcher in fantasy. However, the injury is to his landing foot, which means the White Sox will be careful not to rush his recovery, as the team has greater aspirations this year after a flurry of free agent signings and trades to improve the club. Pitching coach Don Cooper said Carlos Rodon would have a better chance of making the starting rotation out of spring training if Sale is not ready for the start of the season. Jeff Samardzija would be the likely choice to take the ball on Opening Day if Sale is not ready. |
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| Feb 28 2015 | Sale will start Opening Day for the White Sox, ESPN Chicago reports. | Sale was the definition of an ace in 2014, leading the league with a 10.8 K/9 and allowing two runs or fewer in 18 of his 26 starts. It comes as no surprise that manager Robin Ventura selected him to start Day 1, and he should be among the AL's elite as long as he is healthy. |
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| Feb 28 2015 | Sale has suffered an avulsion fracture on his right foot in an accident at home and is expected to miss three weeks, Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune reports. | This throws Sale's Opening Day availability in doubt, as he'll basically have only one week to prepare for the season. He's still an elite pitcher and shouldn't miss too much time if any after the start of the season, so don't be too worried about drafting him. |
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| Sep 24 2014 | Sale pitched six innings Wednesday in the loss to the Tigers, surrendering a run on four hits and three walks while striking out ten. | He did not factor into the decision as his bullpen went on to surrender five more runs over the final two innings. Sale wraps up his season with a 2.17 ERA and a 12-4 record. |
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| Sep 18 2014 | Sale struggled against the Royals on Wednesday, surrendering five runs on nine hits in just five innings of work to take his fourth loss of the season. | He struggled a bit with his command in this one, and the Royals hit two of those mistake pitches over the wall. Lorenzo Cain's three-run home run in the third inning marked just the second time all season Sale has allowed a home run with more than one runner on base, and the fact that he only has four losses for a team that could lose 85-90 games should be seen as an accomplishment. The clunker sent his cumulative ERA back over 2.00, but he should still be in the discussion for this year's AL Cy Young award. |
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| Sep 16 2014 | Sale may only receive two more starts this season if the White Sox stick with a six-man rotation for the rest of the way, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | "Right now, we're going probably as what it is, probably just keep the six," Ventura said. Call-up Chris Bassitt is in line to make his third and fourth starts this week, which will reduce the number of outings needed out of Sale by one. Tentatively, both of Sale's starts will come against the AL Central contenders -- Detroit and Kansas City. Fortunately, Sale has done well against them this season - 3-1 in four starts with a 1.56 ERA and a 37:4 K:BB |
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| Sep 12 2014 | Sale threw eight scoreless innings Thursday against the A's to earn his 12th win of the season. | Sale received an extra day of rest between starts, but he clearly was not thrown from his rhythm. He allowed two singles to Jed Lowrie, and no other Athletic achieved a base hit against Sale. Sale's ERA is now at an AL-leading 1.99, and his 192 strikeouts rank sixth, which is impressive when you consider he has pitched at least 40 innings fewer than all of the guys ahead of him. Even with 12 wins, he should be a top-2 Cy Young candidate come season's end. |
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| Sep 12 2014 | Sale (12-3) dominated the A's over eight innings Thursday, striking out nine while allowing just two hits and two walks in a 1-0 victory. | Sale and Scott Kazmir matched zeroes until Kazmir allowed a run in the sixth, and that was all that Chicago's ace would need. The spectacular outing pushed his ERA back under 2.00 for the first time since July 26; with a 1.99, he continues to lead the American League in that category and is tied with Felix Hernandez for the league's best WHIP, 0.92. |
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| Sep 6 2014 | Sale's next start will come Thursday against the A's, MLB.com's Scott Merkin reports. | Sale last pitched Friday, so he'll get an extra day of rest in between starts. He has yet to face the A's this season and is scheduled to square off against Oakland's Scott Kazmir. |
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| Sep 5 2014 | Sale was sharp again Friday night, allowing just one run on five hits, walking one and striking out five over six innings, but was left with no decision in a 2-1 loss to Cleveland. | He has been dominant virtually all season with a 2.09 ERA but lack of run support and a shaky bullpen have cost him a considerable number of possible wins. He'll take on Oakland at home in his next start. |
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| Aug 30 2014 | Sale struck out 13 over seven innings in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Tigers to improve to 11-3 on the season. He gave up three runs on six hits and two walks. | The lefty got off on the wrong foot Saturday, surrendering solo homers to Ian Kinsler and Victor Martinez in the first inning, but he settled down from there, giving up just one extra-base hit over his final six frames. Sale's 13 strikeouts set a new season high, and he now has seven double-digit strikeout games this season. |
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| Aug 25 2014 | Sale allowed four runs (all unearned) on four hits in six innings Sunday against the Yankees on Sunday, but he did not factor into the decision. He struck out seven and walked three. | Sale was breezing through this one in typical Sale fashion, and it only became a clunker after Dayan Viciedo dropped a fly ball in the bottom of the sixth, paving the way for a four-run inning. The error made it so that all of the runs were unearned, but Sale did not help himself with two walks in the inning and a hit batsman that resulted in a run. His next start should come Saturday against Detroit. |
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| Aug 19 2014 | Sale (10-3) took the loss Monday after giving up three runs on eight hits, including two home runs and striking out eight over six innings against the Orioles. | J.J. Hardy and Nelson Cruz each took Sale deep in this one. It marks the first time the lefty has allowed two home runs in a game this season. Sale still owns a fantastic 2.12 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 158:26 K:BB ratio in 136 innings. He takes the hill Sunday in New York versus the Yankees. |
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| Aug 13 2014 | Sale threw an absolute gem Tuesday, pitching eight shut-out innings, allowing just four hits and two walks while striking out 12 batters before seeing his bullpen blow a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning to the Giants. | Granted he didn't get the win Tuesday, Sale is pitching lights-out once again this year. With a 10-2 record, 2.01 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 150:24 K:BB ratio in 130 innings pitched, Sale is a legitimate candidate for the AL Cy Young Award this year. Sale's next start is scheduled for Sunday at home against the Blue Jays. |
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| Aug 6 2014 | Sale struck out nine and walked two while giving up two runs on three hits over six innings in a losing effort Wednesday afternoon against the Rangers. | Nick Tepesch and the Rangers' bullpen kept the White Sox's offense at bay, costing Sale owners an opportunity to pick up a victory in a favorable matchup Wednesday. He'll face the Giants on the road in San Francisco in his next scheduled start Tuesday. |
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| Aug 1 2014 | Sale tossed six innings versus the Twins on Friday night, surrendering five runs (four earned) on eight hits and a walk while piling up seven strikeouts. | Outside of allowing five consecutive hits that led to a five-run third inning, Sale actually looked like his typical dominant self in this outing. Consider the underwhelming stat line just a blip on the radar, as the All-Star lefty has pitched at a Cy Young contending caliber since the beginning of the season. Sale will be back on the bump Wednesday for to square off with the Rangers. |
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| Jul 27 2014 | Sale carved up the Twins while improving to 10-1 on Saturday, tossing eight innings of five-hit, shutout ball while fanning 12 and walking two. | Make that five starts with double-digit strikeouts for the 25-year-old, who has really locked things in this season with an excellent 1.88 ERA and staggering 19:122 BB:K ratio through 110 innings (16 starts). His only loss came on June 12 against the Tigers -- an outing that featured 10 K's, no walks, and one earned run -- so it's safe to say that you should continue to ride him with confidence as he really has blossomed into one of the best starting pitchers in baseball. Did we mentioned he has a dirty 0.86 WHIP as well? |
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| Jul 21 2014 | Sale was strong in a win Monday night, holding the Royals to one run in seven innings of work. | Sale continues to be a dominant force, with Monday's start making it three straight games in which he's gone at least seven innings and has allowed just one run. He's surrendered more than three runs in a start just once this season. Sale will be trying for his 10th win when he faces the Twins this weekend. |
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| Jul 4 2014 | Sale (8-1, 2.16 ERA) was magnificent again Friday evening, allowing just one run on six hits, issuing no walks and striking out 12 in a complete game, 8-1 win over Seattle. | He actually carried a shutout into the ninth, but a Robinson Cano double would eventually score on a sacrifice fly to break that up. He now has 96 punchouts in 87.1 innings and has allowed more than three runs only once in nine starts since coming back off the disabled list in mid-May. He'll take on the Red Sox in Fenway Park in his next outing. |
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| Jun 28 2014 | Sale gave up two runs on four hits and five walks, while striking out six over seven innings, in a win over the Blue Jays on Saturday. | Sale was actually outdueled throughout much of the game by young phenom Marcus Stroman, but a three-run shot by Dayan Viciedo in the top of the seventh inning put the lefty in line for the win. The five walks were by far a season high for Sale -- his previous high was three and he had not issued more than one walk in a start since April 17 -- but it will likely end up being just a small blip on the radar. |
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| Jun 23 2014 | Sale did not record a decision Monday against the Orioles as he pitched six innings and allowed two runs, 11 hits and one walk to go along with three strikeouts. | Although Sale was able to limit the damage Monday, the three strikeouts marked his season low while the 11 hits allowed marked his season high. He still has a sparkling 2.27 ERA this season and continues to be a very reliable fantasy option. |
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| Jun 18 2014 | Sale allowed three runs on eight hits with a walk and seven strikeouts over six-plus innings to get the win over the Giants on Wednesday. | Sale rolled through the first six innings, but was pulled in |
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| Jun 12 2014 | Sale took the tough-luck loss against Detroit on Thursday, allowing just one run and five hits over seven innings. He struck out 10 and did not issue a walk. | Sale's only real mistake came on a solo homer by Victor Martinez in the fifth inning. He's been tremendous in general, posting a 1.97 ERA and 0.67 WHIP with 68 strikeouts in 59.1 innings, and would probably be the favorite to win the AL Cy Young Award, if not for the fact that he missed about a month due to a flexor strain in his arm. The hard-throwing southpaw will look to keep things going in his next start, as he'll take on San Francisco at home. |
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| Jun 8 2014 | Sale worked seven innings, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits while striking out six in Saturday's 6-5 loss to the Angels. | Sale was in the midst of yet another brilliant outing Saturday night before the wheels came completely off late in the game. The All-Star southpaw held the Angels without a run over the first seven frames, but then, aided by an untimely error and a Mike Trout grand slam, allowed all five hitters he faced in the eighth to score. Prior to this dreadful inning, Sale had allowed just seven hits to the previous 107 batters he had faced, so chalk it up to nothing more than a fluke. |
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| Jun 1 2014 | Sale threw a complete game against the Padres on Sunday, limiting them to one run on two hits to earn his fifth win of the season. | This was an efficient start out of Sale - he struck out nine, but he only averaged 3.6 pitches per batter. The height of the Padres' effort came on a Chase Headley solo home run in the fifth inning, and Sale only allowed one other base runner in the game. Sale was unfazed by pitching a day earlier than originally scheduled. He has been on a Cy Young-esque pace this season, and he has been especially impressive since returning from the disabled list (three hits allowed, 23:1 K:BB in 18 innings). |
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| May 30 2014 | Sale will have his next start moved up to Sunday against the Padres, reports. | Manager Robin Ventura previously stated he wouldn't adjust the White Sox rotaiton after Sale threw just three innings in a rain-shortened start Tuesday. However, it appears he's changed his mind and will move Sale's start up one day. Instead of squaring off against Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers on Monday, he'll pitch the final game of the Sox's series against the Padres |
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| May 28 2014 | Manager Robin Ventura said he will not adjust the White Sox's rotation even after Sale only threw three innings in a rain-shortened start Tuesday, ESPN Chicago reports. | Sale only threw 40 pitches over three hit-less innings in a game that quickly got soggy, but Ventura said there is no impetus to get Sale pitching again a day early. This should set up a classic matchup against Dodgers' ace Clayton Kershaw on Monday. |
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| May 27 2014 | Sale's outing against the Indians on Tuesday was limited to just three innings due to a lengthy rain delay. He struck out four, issued a walk and didn't give up a hit while tossing 28-of-40 pitches for strikes. | Tough luck for Sale owners, as he was looking rather sharp in this one before a two-hour rain delay forced he and the Indians' Justin Masterson out of the game. Sale is next scheduled to face the Dodgers in the series opener Monday. |
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| May 22 2014 | Sale (arm) was spectacular against the Yankees in his return from the disabled list Thursday, tossing six scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts en route to his fourth win of the year. | Sale retired the first 17 batters he faced, until he allowed a two-out single to Zoilo Almonte in the sixth inning. After Almonte stole second base, Sale struck out Jacoby Ellsbury to end his outing at 86 pitches. Assuming Sale didn't suffer any setbacks, expect him to amp up his pitch count in future outings. He's scheduled to face the Indians at home in his next start. |
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| May 22 2014 | Sale (arm) was officially activated from the DL to start Thursday against the Yankees. | As expected, Sale was activated and will return Thursday after missing more than four weeks with a flexor muscle strain in his left arm. The White Sox will likely play it safe and limit Sale to fewer than 100 pitches against New York, but he fanned 11 over four innings in his lone rehab start and figures to have any restrictions lifted after a start or two. |
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| May 21 2014 | Sale, who will come off the DL to return to Chicago's rotation Thursday, is unlikely to go 100 pitches deep into his start against the Yankees, CSN Chicago's Dan Hayes reports. | Manager Robin Ventura said there's no strict pitch limit, but he doubted Sale would be allowed to get to triple digits with his pitch count. Sale only threw 68 pitches in a rehab start Friday, so something in the 70-100 range is to be expected in his outing Thursday. Still, he commands deployment in almost all formats. |
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| May 21 2014 | Sale (arm) will start Thursday against the Yankees. | Sale was quite pleased following Tuesday's bullpen session, but the development comes as a bit of a surprise, considering the prevailing opinion marked his activation date as Sunday. Make sure the ace is out of his DL slot and in the lineup, as his strike-throwing ways are about to be in play. |
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| May 20 2014 | Sale (arm) threw free and easy in his bullpen session Tuesday, and is still a possibility to return to the rotation Sunday against the Yankees, CSN Chicago's Dan Hayes reports. | The White Sox still want to wait and see how he responds physically to the BP session, but there wasn't a noticeable setback, or any reason to eliminate the possibility that he returns Sunday, so stay tuned. |
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| May 19 2014 | Sale (arm) will throw a bullpen session Tuesday, which will determine the next step in his rehab, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun Times reports. | Sale was nearly unhittable in his last rehab outing Friday, striking out 11 batters over just four innings. One would think that he would be nearing a return to the majors after an effective performance like this, but Tuesday's session will be the deciding factor. If all goes well, he could be back with the White Sox for a Sunday start against the Yankees. However, if there are any doubts following the session, he'll likely be headed for another rehab start. |
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| May 18 2014 | The White Sox appeared to be leaning toward having Sale (arm) make another rehab start before he's activated from the disabled list, ESPN Chicago reports. | Although Sale was brilliant for Triple-A Charlotte on Friday with 11 strikeouts over four innings, the team probably wants to see the lefty work a little deeper into a game before they feel comfortable activating him. Sale is set to join the team in Kansas City on Monday, but likely only for a check-up on his arm rather than a simulated game. If Sale indeed does make another rehab start for Charlotte, he probably wouldn't return to the White Sox rotation until next week. |
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| May 18 2014 | Sale (arm) will rejoin the White Sox on Monday for an in-person evaluation, MLB.com's Scott Merkin reports. | Sale's rehab start at Triple-A Charlotte went about as well as it possibly could Friday, with the lefty whiffing 11 batters over four innings. Still, it doesn't sound like he's being viewed as an option for Wednesday's game against the Royals, as his Monday visit would suggest. He could throw a side session Monday before receiving clearance for a start against the Yankees over the weekend. |
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| May 16 2014 | Sale (arm) pitched four innings and struck out 11 in a rehab start with Triple-A Charlotte on Friday, MLB.com's Scott Merkin reports. | Sale had a dominant performance in his rehab start, striking out 11 of the 12 outs he recorded. He is expected to be back in late May or early June, and he looks like he's ready to pick up where he left off after his most recent start. |
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| May 15 2014 | Sale (arm) had his Thursday rehab start with Triple-A Charlotte rained out, and will likely start Game 1 of Friday's double header, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | Sale just caught a tough break, but will likely just make the start up on Friday. He's expected to throw 75-80 pitches, and his performance should help lay out a clearer timetable for his return to the White Sox. A May 22-25 return still seems probable for Sale, who will need one more rehab start after Friday. |
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| May 12 2014 | Sale (arm) is scheduled to make a rehab start for Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday, Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune reports. | The plan is for Sale to rejoin the White Sox during a May 22-25 series against the Yankees, and the lefty is first expected to make a pair of rehab starts. While the date is still far from certain, Sale would be on track to return May 25, if he makes two rehab appearances and works on four days of rest. |
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| May 11 2014 | The White Sox plan for Sale (arm) to return to the rotation at some point during a four-game series against the Yankees that begins May 22, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | Sale let loose during a 60-pitch simulated game Saturday, and he said he felt good afterward. The next step should be a pair of rehab starts in the minors. Assuming those go off without a hitch, then he should be back in Chicago before the end of the month. |
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| May 10 2014 | Sale (arm) tossed four innings in a simulated game Saturday, with the final two at full speed, Doug Padilla of ESPN Chicago reports. | Sale emerged from the outing feeling great, and the next step appears to be a rehab game or two, despite the lefty's reticence to do so. Expect the White Sox to map out the final stretch of his recovery in the near future. |
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| May 8 2014 | Sale (arm) will throw another bullpen session Saturday, Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago reports. | It will be Sale's third session since landing on the disabled list, with a rehab assignment likely to come shortly thereafter. The White Sox have played coy with a possible return timetable for Sale, but the guess here is that he'll be back in late May or early June. |
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| May 7 2014 | Sale threw his second bullpen session Wednesday, and said the arm remains pain-free, MLB.com's Scott Merkin reports. | Sale's arm also felt good after Monday's bullpen session, but we remain without timetable for his return to the mound. A rehab assignment in a week or so remains a possibility, but that still leaves vague estimations of when he'll return, pointing to late-May/early-June. Scott Carroll will remain in the White Sox's rotation for now. |
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| May 5 2014 | Sale (arm) feels "good" after Monday's bullpen session and may embark upon a rehab assignment in 10 days to two weeks, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. | The White Sox are exercising secrecy with Sale's recovery effort, which will push back his next major league appearance at least a few weeks. The development shouldn't come as a surprise considering he threw off a mound Monday for the first time since sustaining a strained flexor following an Apr. 17 start. As long as he's sidelined, Scott Carroll should continue to hold down the back end of the White Sox's rotation. |
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| May 5 2014 | Sale (arm) stated that Monday's bullpen session "went well," but no timetable yet exists for his activation from the DL, Doug Padilla of ESPN Chicago reports. | Nevertheless, Sale continues to display improvement through his flexor strain, after throwing off flat ground last week. It remains to be seen when, or if, he'll embark upon a rehab assignment. |
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| May 3 2014 | Sale will throw off a mound Monday, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | Sale has felt good throwing off flat ground the past few days, but Monday's session should provide us with a clearer view of when he might return to action. A minor league start or two may be in the cards, or he could return to the rotation later in the week. |
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| May 2 2014 | Sale (arm) felt good while playing catch Friday. | Sale did not take a big step Friday by any means, but the good news is that he did not experience a setback. A bullpen session Monday will likely be Sale's next step, and it remains to be seen if he will make a rehab start before returning to the big club. |
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| Apr 30 2014 | Sale (arm) could need a rehab start before returning from the disabled list, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | At this point, it appears safe to conclude that Sale won't be activated over the weekend when first eligible to return from the DL, but if he is able to make a rehab start at some point next week, it doesn't sound like he'll have to sit out much longer. The White Sox are understandably proceeding cautiously with their prized young ace, who was 3-0 with a 2.30 ERA and 0.84 WHIP before succumbing to the arm ailment. |
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| Apr 29 2014 | Sale (arm) is unlikely to be back in the White Sox rotation for this weekend's series against the Indians, MLB.com's Scott Merkin reports. | Manager Robin Ventura said Sale's chances of pitching this weekend were "slim at best," and the team obviously doesn't want to risk the future of the young ace. This is not a new development, but rather just a confirmation that he will need more than the minimum 15 days before returning. |
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| Apr 29 2014 | Sale is unlikely to be back in the White Sox rotation for this weekend's series against the Indians, MLB.com's Scott Merkin reports. | Manager Robin Ventura said Sale's chances of pitching this weekend were "slim at best," and the team obviously doesn't want to risk the future of the young ace. This is not a new development, but rather just a confirmation that he will need more than the minimum 15 days before returning. |
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| Apr 28 2014 | Sale (strained flexor) will be eligible to come off the disabled list this upcoming weekend against the Indians, but manager Robin Ventura said he will probably sit out longer than that, CSN Chicago reports. | Sale played some catch before Sunday's game, but the White Sox have yet to roll out much of a recovery plan beyond that. He could still return this weekend if he engages in some more aggressive rehab activity within the next few days (ie: a simulated game or bullpen session), but it's looking like he will sit a while longer. The White Sox's rotation is currently down three starters with Sale and Felipe Paulino on the disabled list and Erik Johnson in the minors, so they could definitely use Sale back as soon as possible. |
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| Apr 28 2014 | Sale (arm) played catch from 80-90 feet Monday, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | For the second day in a row, Sale his thrown in the outfield during warmups, but manager Robin Ventura intimated Sunday that his star southpaw will likely require more than the minimum 15 days to recover from the flexor strain in his left arm. Eligible for activation Saturday, Sale's next appearance could be delayed further, if Ventura's comments come to fruition. |
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| Apr 21 2014 | Sale will be placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a flexor muscle strain in his left arm, but White Sox GM Rick Hahn only expects the lefty to be out for the minimum 15 days, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | Sale threw a career-high 127 pitches in his last start, then skipped his side session Sunday. An MRI on the affected ligament came back clean, so the lefty may only miss two or three starts. Having last pitched Apr. 17, he should be eligible to come off the disabled list May 3. The White Sox expect that to happen, but it's far from a sure thing at this early juncture. Andre Rienzo will pitch Wednesday, while Charlie Leesman has been called up to pitch Tuesday's game. |
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| Apr 21 2014 | Sale's scheduled start Tuesday at Detroit will likely be pushed back due to "general" muscle-based soreness, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | In 2012, Sale missed two starts due to a similar concern, but manager Robin Ventura is hopeful that a few days off will aid in a quicker recovery. Sale is coming off a 127-pitch outing Thursday against a patient Red Sox lineup, but without a definitive course of action, the date of his next scheduled start is unknown. |
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| Apr 20 2014 | Sale will skip his side session Sunday after throwing a career-high 127 pitches Thursday, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | It was a bit concerning to see Sale throw so many pitches so early in the season Thursday, but it looks like the White Sox are taking steps to avoid future damage. It would not be surprising to see him receive a light pitch load Tuesday against Detroit. |
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| Apr 17 2014 | Sale took a no-decision against Boston on Thursday, allowing one run with 10 strikeouts in seven innings. | Sale allowed just one hit, but it was a solo homer in the sixth inning. Unfortunately Sale squared off against Jon Lester, who was just as dominant with eight innings of one-run ball. Continue to start the ace lefty with confidence. |
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| Apr 12 2014 | Sale improved to 3-0 on the season Friday against the Indians, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks over five innings and striking out five. | Sale's lackluster performance was greatly aided by the uninspiring Carlos Carrasco taking the hill for the Indians, allowing Sale to tie the Mariners' Felix Hernandez for the league lead in wins. The 25-year-old lefty is probably due for a cheap win like Friday's every now and then, after getting stuck with an 11-14 record last season despite his impressive 3.07 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. |
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| Mar 31 2014 | Sale was strong in his Opening Day win, allowing three runs in 7.1 innings against the Twins. | Sale also fanned eight in the outing. The young lefty will continue his third year as a starter this weekend against the Royals on the road. |
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| Mar 10 2014 | Manager Robin Ventura announced Monday that Sale will be the White Sox' Opening Day starter, CSN's Dan Hayes | There wasn't much doubt that Sale would get the Opening Day nod, but Ventura finally confirmed that Sale will be on the mound when the White Sox kick off their season Mar. 31. |
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| Feb 19 2014 | Sale will start the first game of spring training for the White Sox and is the favorite to be the Opening Day starter, White Sox reporter Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. | Although his 11-14 record didn't show it, Sale had another strong season for the White Sox in 2013, finishing with a 3.07 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP in 29 starts. The ERA was the highest of his four seasons in the majors, an indication of how good he has been since making his major league debut in 2010. |
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| Sep 28 2013 | Sale struggled in his final start of the season, giving up four runs on nine hits and a walk with five strikeouts over just 5.1 innings against the Royals on Friday. | Sale seemed to tire towards the end of the season and has looked fairly hittable here in two of his last three outings. He needed 96 pitches (64 strikes) to make it as far as he did and while his command was good, his pitches lacked movement and the Royals took advantage of it. He finishes the season with 11 wins, a 3.07 ERA and 226 strikeouts over 214.1 innings. |
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| Sep 21 2013 | Sale tossed 7.2 scoreless innings and did not factor in the decision Saturday against the Tigers. | He gave up four hits while walking one and striking out seven. A terrific road outing from Sale that the White Sox bullpen wasted after carrying a 6-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning. He has been great most of the season, posting a 2.97 ERA while striking out 221 and walking 45. |
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| Sep 9 2013 | Sale was terrific Monday night, earning the victory by holding the Tigers to one run over eight innings of work. | Sale has put together another great season in 2013, posting a 2.90 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. Over his last seven starts he's worked at least seven innings each time and has allowed three or fewer runs six times. He should face the Indians this weekend. |
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| Sep 4 2013 | The White Sox are moving to a modified six-man rotation for the remainder of the season, which could result in fewer starts for Sale, the Chicago Tribune reports. | Sale is not showing any signs of fatigue in his second full season as a starter (he has a 50:9 K:BB over his last 50.2 innings), but the organization wants to get looks at guys like Andre Rienzo, Erik Johnson, and Charlie Leesman. It is not exactly clear if manager Robin Ventura will use a "straight" six-man rotation, or if the team's remaining day off will complicate matters. Ventura only said he doubts any pitcher would start on four days' rest. That means Sale could wind up with a handful of starts fewer down the stretch than otherwise expected. |
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| Sep 3 2013 | Sale gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits and one walk with six strikeouts Tuesday against the Yankees. | He worked a gem into the eighth, but left after giving up a couple hits, including a double to Robinson Cano -- just the third extra-base hit off Sale by a left-handed batter all season. The White Sox bullpen then undid everything Sale had accomplished up to that point and he was left with a no-decision. He faces the Tigers next, Monday in Chicago. |
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| Aug 28 2013 | In his first start since giving up a career-worst four home runs in one game, Sale spun a gem on Wednesday when he gave up just one run on four hits and two walks with 12 strikeouts over eight innings against the Astros. | Fantasy owners would be hard-pressed to ask for a better bounce-back start for Sale who pulled his ERA back down to 2.99 and now has an phenomenal 193:39 K:BB over 180.1 innings this season. That last start was more fluke than anything else so expect him to come closer to Wednesday night's numbers than last week's, moving forward. He'll face the Yankees his next time out, a team he already held scoreless for 7.1 innings earlier this season. |
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| Aug 23 2013 | Sale allowed eight runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out six over seven innings of an 11-5 loss to Texas on Friday night. | It was just another chapter in the White Sox 2013 horror story. Sale gave up a career-high four home runs, including a contested inside-the-park round tripper, as his record dropped to 9-12 on the year. Despite the rough outing, he still maintains a very respectable 3.08 ERA, and is one of the better arms in the American League. |
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| Aug 17 2013 | Sale allowed three runs on nine hits in seven innings against the Twins on Saturday, but he still escaped with the victory. | As good as Sale has been at the front of the White Sox's rotation this season, the Twins have given him a hard time in both of his starts against them, surrendering seven runs and 15 hits in 12 innings. However, he struck out eight (and only walked one) Saturday to bring him into a tie with Justin Masterson for fourth in the AL in strikeouts (175), and his K/9 rate only lags Yu Darvish, Max Scherzer, and Anibal Sanchez. |
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| Aug 12 2013 | Sale won Monday against the Tigers as he pitched a complete game and allowed two runs and nine hits to go along with six strikeouts. | Sale has now won consecutive starts for the first time since May and improved his season record to 8-11. His record would certainly be much better if he had a better offense behind him as he has a 2.73 ERA and 1.05 WHIP overall. |
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| Aug 6 2013 | Sale gave up one run on five hits and four walks Tuesday, striking out six Yankees on his way to picking up his seventh win of the season. | Despite tying a season high with four free passes, it was still a great bounce-back outing after he uncharacteristically gave up five runs his last time out in Cleveland. Tuesday wasn't the norm in the sense that Sale (7-11) rarely gets enough run support to qualify for the win, but when it comes to rate stats and Ks, there are few starting pitchers in the A.L. who have been more impressive in 2013. |
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| Aug 1 2013 | Sale (6-11) was knocked around Thursday in Cleveland, allowing five runs on 10 hits in five innings -- but struck out six without a walk. | Sale was just around the plate a bit too much in this one, throwing 59 of his 79 pitches for strikes. He's got the toughest-luck 6-11 record you'll ever see, as even after this game, he sits seventh in the AL in ERA. |
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| Jul 27 2013 | Sale allowed one run over nine innings and was the losing pitcher Saturday against the Royals. | He gave up seven hits while walking one and striking out seven. A very strong outing from Sale, who simply got zero run support from his offense and was charged with a loss he did not deserve. Sale has been strong over his last six starts, allowing 14 earned runs over 46.2 innings, but his run support has been rough during that stretch and has resulted in him owning a 1-4 record over those six starts. Saturday's loss brings his season record to 6-10 to accompany a 2.69 ERA and 149 strikeouts. |
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| Jul 22 2013 | Sale lost Monday against the Tigers as he pitched eight innings and allowed four runs (two earned), seven hits and three walks to go along with 11 strikeouts. | Sale's record fell to 6-9 for the season despite having a 2.81 ERA and 1.02 WHIP overall. It's looking like it is going to be very tough for him to match the 17 wins he recorded last season with the lack of run support he has received this year. |
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| Jul 11 2013 | Sale (6-8) persevered through 6.2 innings Thursday, allowing three runs on 10 hits and two walks. He struck out eight in the win over Detroit. | Sale had lost his last six decisions entering Thursday despite pitching quite well overall, as run support has been hard to come by for the young ace. This was, in fact, his first victory since back on May 17. |
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| Jul 6 2013 | Sale took the loss against the Rays on Saturday despite holding them to three runs (two earned) on six hits over seven innings Saturday. | Sale pitched well, but the White Sox failed to score against opposing starter Matt Moore and co. A lack of run support has been something of a trend for the White Sox's ace. He remains without a win since May 17 despite posting a 62:10 K:BB over those seven starts. |
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| Jun 25 2013 | Sale gave up three earned runs on four hits and two walks while fanning 13 Mets in eight innings Tuesday. | He fell one shy of his season high for Ks and two short of his career high. This was a nice bounce back after he got hit around in his last start. Unfortunately he didn't get the win, but Sale has proven that he is on the short list of pitchers who can threaten to K 15 hitters on any given night. |
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| Jun 19 2013 | Sale (5-6) struggled through five innings Wednesday, giving up four runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out five against Minnesota. | In addition to the hits and walks, Sale also hit a pair of batters and issued a wild pitch Wednesday. He also had a couple of injury scares in the second inning as well. Oswaldo Arcia hit a comebacker that barely missed Sale, and he also twisted his knee when attempting to cover first base. After the game, Sale said that neither play caused any sort of injury, but they may have affected his performance Wednesday. We will take his word and simply write this off as a minor bump in the road. His next start comes at home in a favorable matchup against the Mets. |
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| Jun 15 2013 | Sale was absolutely dominant as he gave up two unearned runs on five hits and a walk with a season-high 14 strikeouts over eight innings, but still took the loss against the Astros on Friday. | A pair of errors from shortstop Alexei Ramirez in the fifth inning led to both Astros runs and the White Sox offense just couldn't generate anything to support Sale in this one. He was charged with his third straight loss despite allowing just five runs over his last 21.1 innings. This outing helped Sale lower his ERA to 2.43 for the year and he now has a 86:19 K:BB over 85.1 innings. He'll face Minnesota at pitcher-friendly Target Field his next time out. |
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| Jun 12 2013 | Sale will have his postponed Wednesday start pushed back to Friday in Houston, the Chicago Tribune reports. | With severe weather in the forecast Wednesday evening, Sale will get a few more days of rest before his next nod. In his sole career appearances against the Astros, he tossed eight shutout innings, with seven strikeouts to boot. |
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| Jun 12 2013 | Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays has been postponed due to the expectation of inclement weather. | This could actually be seen as good news for Sale's fantasy owners, as his start figures to be pushed back to Friday against the Astros. With the way Toronto's Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion are hitting right now, the switch in opponents could make a huge difference. |
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| Jun 7 2013 | Sale allowed four runs on five hits, walking two and striking out six over 7.1 innings of a 4-3 loss to Oakland on Friday night. | He needed 118 pitches (77 for strikes) to cover the 7.1 innings, but he made just one mistake - a big one that Josh Donaldson took deep for a grand slam home run, erasing a 3-0 Chicago lead. Sale has crafted a 2.68 ERA, but the White Sox have found a lot of ways to lose games this year, significantly cutting into his fantasy value. With his peripherals, if and when the White Sox bats (and gloves) wake up, he could be in line for quite a run. |
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| Jun 2 2013 | Sale gave up one earned run on just four hits Sunday against the Athletics, but took the loss and fell to 5-3 on the campaign. | Sale pitched extremely well, but was a victim of poor (or no) run support, as the White Sox mustered just three hits. The Sox have lost six in a row, and hope to get their bats back on track well before Sale's next scheduled start, which will be a rematch against the Athletics, this time in Chicago. |
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| May 29 2013 | Sale will in fact start Sunday in Oakland, the Chicago Tribune reports. | After skipping his scheduled nod on May 22 due to tendinitis in his left shoulder, Sale's outing Tuesday was abbreviated, as he was held to just 37 pitches. Manager Robin Ventura initially considered moving his upcoming appearance to Saturday, but he figured Sale could use the extra day of rest. |
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| May 29 2013 | Sale (shoulder) said he was feeling good before his start against the Cubs was cut short Tuesday due to rain, the Chicago Tribune reports. | He threw 37 pitches over three innings before the elements settled in for the rest of the night and made the game unplayable. He allowed a two-run home run to Wellington Castillo in the second inning, but that will not count due to the postponement. His next start should come this weekend, possibly Saturday, against Oakland. |
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| May 27 2013 | Sale (shoulder) feels more comfortable heading into Tuesday's start against the Cubs following a side session Sunday, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | Sale's nod last Wednesday was scratched due to shoulder tendinitis, and considering he has eight quality starts in nine outings this season, he'll look to add to his 23.2 innings without allowing a run. |
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| May 25 2013 | Sale (shoulder) pronounced himself on track to start Tuesday against the Cubs after playing catch in the outfield Saturday, ESPNChicago.com reports. | Saturday's toss session marked the first time Sale has thrown a baseball since he was scratched his scheduled start Wednesday. He said the toss went "really well," and barring setback during his full bullpen session Sunday, it sounds like Sale will be a go come Tuesday. |
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| May 25 2013 | Sale (shoulder) was seen throwing in the outfield during pregame Saturday and will throw a side session Sunday, barring a setback, MLB.com reports. | Sale missed his scheduled start Wednesday as a precaution due to tendinitis is his left shoulder. However, he is expected to make his upcoming start Tuesday against the Cubs, assuming nothing goes awry this weekend. |
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| May 22 2013 | Sale, whose Wednesday start was scratched due to mild tendonitis in his left shoulder, "absolutely" intends to make his appearance next Tuesday against the Cubs, the Associated Press reports. | While the move was simply a precaution, it is still a bit concerning to see the White Sox's workhorse miss any time. With 11 days of rest between outings, Sale's prospects will hang in the balance until it is confirmed that no lingering issues remain in his shoulder. In any case, Hector Santiago will start in his place Wednesday. |
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| May 22 2013 | Manager Robin Ventura confirmed that Sale (shoulder) is on track to make his next start Tuesday against the Cubs. | Sale downplayed the tendinitis issue after it forced him to miss Wednesday's start, so it appears the team is simply taking a precautionary approach with their talented young hurler. He could throw a bullpen session over the weekend just to ensure that he'll be fully ready to go Tuesday. |
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| May 21 2013 | Sale has been scratched from Wednesday's start against the Red Sox with mild tendonitis in his posterior shoulder muscle, the Chicago Tribune reports. | The decision to scratch Sale has been described as a precautionary measure. Hector Santiago will start Wednesday instead of Sale. Despite the optimism from the team, the setback is clearly unsettling for fantasy owners given Sale's massive jump in workload from 2011 (71 IP) to 2012 (192 IP.) Be sure to keep a close eye on his status over the next few days. |
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| May 18 2013 | Facing the Angels in back-to-back starts, Sale was just as dynamic in this outing as he pitched 7.2 innings of shutout ball and allowed three hits and three walks with 12 strikeouts. | Sale was one hit short of a perfect game in their first meeting and while this one might not have been as strong a performance, his 12 strikeouts become a huge bonus for fantasy owners. He's now thrown six straight quality starts after taking an eight run beating back in mid-April and now has a 2.53 ERA with an impressive 61:15 K:BB over 64 innings this year. He'll square up against Boston for his start next week. |
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| May 13 2013 | Sale had a tooth pulled Monday, but the procedure will not affect his scheduled start Friday at the Angels, the Chicago Tribune reports. | Seven of Sale's eight starts have been quality outings, as he boasts a 2.88 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 49:12 K:BB ratio in 56.1 innings in 2013. He is following up his breakout campaign with a very similar line, so expect no trouble with three more days to recover before Friday's upcoming appearance. |
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| May 12 2013 | Sale improved to 4-2 Sunday night as he pitched a complete game shutout against the Angels. | Sale allowed one hit, a single to Mike Trout in the seventh inning. He struck out seven and didn't walk anyone. Starts like these remind us just how dominant he can be. He's allowed just three total earned runs in his last three starts combined, lowering his ERA to 2.88 as a result. He is slated to face the Angels again in his next start, this time in Anaheim. |
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| May 12 2013 | Sale improved to 4-2 on Sunday night as he pitched a complete game shutout against the Angels. | Sale allowed one hit, a single to Mike Trout in the seventh inning. He didn't walk anyone, and struck out seven. Starts like this remind us just how dominant he can be. He's allowed just three total earned runs in his last three starts combined, and has lowered his ERA to 2.88 as a result. He is slated to face the Angels again in his next start, this time in Anaheim. |
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| May 6 2013 | Sale struck out five and did not walk a batter while holding the Royals to one run on six hits over 7.1 innings in a no-decision Monday. | He racked up a high pitch count in the first two frames before settling down and delivering a strong start. Sale was on the hook for the loss -- thanks to a questionable non home-run call down the left field line -- until the White Sox rallied against the Royals' bullpen to tie the game in the ninth inning and win it in the 11th. Sale threw 80 of his 119 pitches for strikes, and even managed to fan Alex Gordon as the final batter he faced to begin the eighth inning. |
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| May 1 2013 | Sale improved to 3-2 on Wednesday as he went seven innings, giving up two earned runs on six hits, while striking out seven. | Sale looked the part of the dominating pitcher he is as he held the Rangers in check while he was on the mound. He'll look to keep it going next time out against the Mets at Citi Field. |
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| Apr 25 2013 | Sale was a little wild, walking a season-high four, but pitched well enough to earn his second win of the season Thursday, limiting the Rays to two runs in seven innings. He struck out seven and allowed just four hits. | Sale has a 4.09 ERA, but it's due mostly to his unsightly start against the Indians two weeks ago. That hiccup aside, he's been every bit the ace he was last season and remains one of the most valuable pitchers in fantasy. |
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| Apr 25 2013 | Sale was a little wild, but pitched well enough to earn his second win of the season, limiting the Rays to two runs in seven innings. | Sale walked a season-high four batters and allowed four hits on the day. Sale has a 4.09 ERA, but it's due mostly to his unsightly start against the Indians two weeks ago. He'll face the Rangers his next time out. |
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| Apr 18 2013 | Sale allowed three runs -- two earned -- and four hits in seven innings to take the tough-luck loss at Toronto on Thursday. He walked just one and struck out six. | Despite taking the loss, Sale pitched well Thursday -- much better than his last start, in which he surrendered eight runs in just 4.1 innings. Although Sale's ERA is bloated at 4.50 because of that eight-run outing, he has a very healthy 23:6 K:BB in 26 innings so far this season. |
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| Apr 14 2013 | Sale allowed eight runs on eight hits in 4.1 innings against the Indians on Saturday to take his first loss of the season. | The stat line was easily Sale's worst since he joined the White Sox's rotation at the beginning of last season. He allowed two home runs for the second straight start, and he hit a pair of batsmen. He will try to get back on track against the Blue Jays in his next start. |
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| Apr 7 2013 | Sale posted a pedestrian outing Sunday, giving up three runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out seven in seven frames, during the White Sox's extra-inning victory over the Mariners. | Sale dueled Hisashi Iwakuma to a no decision Sunday, but his relief was able to toss three scoreless innings to hold on for the win. Meanwhile, Sale's command did not include its typical pinpoint control, as he served up a two-run homer in the first inning off the hot bat of Mike Morse, marking his first extra-base hit allowed of the year. In his upcoming nod Saturday, Sale will attempt to replicate his one career start at Cleveland, in which he tossed 6.1 innings of one-run ball. |
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| Apr 1 2013 | Sale tossed 7.2 shutout innings Monday while scattering seven hits and striking out seven against the Royals in a winning effort. | On a day where James Shields pitched very well in his Royals debut with six innings of one-run ball, Sale was even better in his first start of the season Monday. Considering that he threw 104 pitches (72 strikes) Monday, Sale doesn't appear to be facing any significant workload restrictions this season. |
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| Mar 16 2013 | Sale has been named the White Sox's Opening Day starter, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. | This comes as little surprise, considering Sale cemented himself as the ace of the South Siders' rotation last season, but he's now officially penciled in to take the bump against Kansas City on April 1. |
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| Mar 7 2013 | A source told ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine that Sale has agreed to a five-year extension worth as much as $60 million. | Sale will receive $35 million guaranteed over the first three years of the new deal, with a pair of club options that could tack on an additional $25 million. Team owner Jerry Reinsdorf has been notorious for not signing pitchers to long-term deals, so the fact he OK'd a deal of this length reveals the team's confidence in Sale's long-term health. Many have criticized Sale's delivery as likely to lead to significant injury, but this contract shows the White Sox are not all that concerned. The contract may also be a signal that Sale will start Opening Day for the Sox. |
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| Mar 3 2013 | Sale plans to begin throwing changeups to left-handed batters this season, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | Sale was already fairly lethal against left-handed batters in 2012, limiting them to a .601 OPS and recording a 56:7 K:BB over 193 at-bats. He could become even more dangerous in 2013 if he can effectively throw his off-speed pitches to same-handed batters. |
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| Apr 9 2012 | Sale earned a victory Monday as the White Sox defeated the Indians, 4-2. He pitched 6.2 innings and allowed one run, three hits and two walks to go along with five strikeouts. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale threw 100 pitches in his first career start and has a promising future as a member of the White Sox92s rotation. While he may be hamstrung by an innings limit this season, he should still be a solid fantasy contributor. |
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| Mar 29 2012 | Sale held the Dodgers to one run on four hits over six innings Thursday to pick up his first win of the spring. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He struck out seven in the effort, which means he will wrap Cactus League play with an impressive 22:2 K:BB in 24 innings. He will be inning-bound in his first MLB season as a starter, but it does not look like he will have an issue working deep into games. |
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| Mar 20 2012 | Sale threw six scoreless innings against the Reds on Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It took Sale a couple of spring starts to get things right, but he looked very impressive in Monday's outing. He struck out six without a walk, and his slider was in regular season form. The converted reliever may go through some bumps and bruises in his first season as a starter, but he should be alright. |
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| Mar 11 2012 | Sale allowed three runs on three hits, including a home run, against the Cubs on Friday to take the loss in his first start of the spring. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This was the first start of Sale's career as he team plans to move him to the rotation this season, and he got into trouble early and late in the outing. The important thing was he struck out four (to one walk), and he could be a K beast if he maintains last year's 10.0 strikeout per nine ratio. |
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| Mar 4 2012 | Sale said he felt good after after a two-inning start in Saturday's intrasquad game, the White Sox's official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He needed 22 pitches (or more pitches than 69 percent of his relief appearances last year) to get through the two innings. Look for that pitch count to continue to elevate as he continues to transition to the rotation. Opposing batters were impressed by his breaking pitches. |
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| Jan 29 2012 | Pitching coach Don Cooper said Sale will face an innings cap as he moves to the rotation in 2012, the White Sox's official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Cooper said the actual number of innings will be hammered out between the Sox's staff and Sale, but odds are the number will be on the low-ish side since Sale has thrown all of 104 frames since the White Sox drafted him in 2010. On the positive side, it does not look like the club will oscillate between moving him to the rotation and keeping him in the bullpen as other organizations have done with pitching prospects, so it should be possible to calibrate his fantasy value sooner rather than later. |
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| Dec 6 2011 | It looks like the White Sox still plan to transition Sale into a starting role for 2012 even after the Sergio Santos trade, the Chicago Tribune reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was the club's second-best ninth inning option in 2011, so he would be the logical option to fill Santos' shoes. Manager Robin Ventura might still give him the "Neftali Feliz" treatment and flipflop on Sale's role during spring training, but he looks bound for the rotation as of Dec. 6. |
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| Nov 17 2011 | General manager Kenny Williams confirmed Sale will join the rotation in 2012, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Sox drafted Sale as a starter, but uncertainty in the back of the bullpen forced him into a short-reliever thus far in his professional career. He will probably be on some sort of innings cap given that he only threw 71 frames in 2011, but Sale has the potential to put up some gaudy strikeout totals given a starter's workload. |
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| Sep 27 2011 | Sale struck out three over the final 1.2 innings Tuesday to notch his eighth save of the season. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sergio Santos tossed 44 pitches Monday, so he presumably was unavailable. Sale has performed well in the second half of the season, and has shown the ability to handle the closer role, although he's likely to transition to the rotation in 2012. |
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| Sep 22 2011 | The White Sox still expect Sale to transition to the rotation in 2012, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale's role in the ninth inning has increased of late (he has picked up three of the team's last six saves), but the Sox still want him to take on the role they drafted him for. He would probably be under something of an innings limit if he does start, as he has thrown less than 70 innings thus far in 2011. |
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| Sep 20 2011 | Sale picked up the save in Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader at Cleveland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale needed five outs to record his seventh save of the season. With the recent struggles of Sergio Santos, Sale might see a couple of save opportunities down the stretch, although he's expected to move into the rotation in 2012. |
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| Sep 6 2011 | Sale picked up the final out of Game 1 of Monday's doubleheader against the Twins to record his first save of the year. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sergio Santos was given the first chance to close out the game, but manager Ozzie Guillen yanked him after he allowed a run. The lone batter Sale faced was the right-handed Jason Repko, and the left-handed Sale has excelled against batters of that handedness this year (.197 BAA). |
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| Aug 26 2011 | Sale pitched a scoreless ninth Friday night to record his fifth save of the season. He allowed one hit and struck out two. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While Sergio Santos is supposedly still considered the team's closer, Sale has now picked up three saves in August and is again being used when Ozzie Guillen prefers a lefty in there. He is now 5-for-6 in saves chances and should continue to accumulate more as the season winds down. Moving forward, the Sox still plan to move him in the rotation which could eventually help Santos stay in the closer role more long term. |
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| Aug 14 2011 | Sale pitched a perfect inning Saturday against the Royals to record his fourth save of the season. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He struck out a batter in his inning of work. Sergio Santos is still the primary closer but Sale will get opportunities every once in awhile to close out some games. The plan for Sale next season is to move him to a starting role. |
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| Aug 6 2011 | The White Sox still plan on converting Sale to a starting role in 2012, but manager Ozzie Guillen said he does not envision giving him a spot start down the stretch. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: "If we get to that position [where we're out of it], I'll give the kids a chance. In the meanwhile, I'm not going to go out there and throw everything away," Guillen said. "I think we should prepare him in spring training and the offseason." Sale picked up a rare save Friday, but he should not threaten Sergio Santos moving forward. He owns a 40:14 K:BB ratio and 1.59 ERA in 39.2 innings since May 9. |
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| Aug 5 2011 | Sale picked up his third save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning as Chicago defeated the Twins 5-3 Friday night. He allowed one hit and struck out one. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sergio Santos is probably still the primary closer for the White Sox, but manager Ozzie Guillen has shown a willingness to also use Matt Thornton and now Sale in the end game so consistently predicting who will get the save opportunities might be a challenge going forward. |
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| Jul 27 2011 | Sale did yeoman's work in relief of John Danks on Wednesday against Detroit, firing 2.2 perfect innings with three strikeouts, only to be replaced by Sergio Santos for the last out of the game and the save. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale did collect his eighth hold, but that stat of course lacks, shall we say, the cachet of the save. It was a one-run game, but there seems to be no obvious reason for Ozzie Guillen to go to Santos other than, well, being Ozzie Guillen. Sale has allowed just two runs in 13 July innings. |
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| Jul 24 2011 | There is a chance the White Sox attempt to convert Sale to the rotation for the 2012 season, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Sox drafted Sale as a starter in 2010, but they converted him to relief work so they could rush him through the minors and address immediate needs in the bullpen. Both Mark Buehrle and Edwin Jackson could depart in the offseason, which would open up a vacancy in the 2012 rotation. If the White Sox are serious about these plans, then it minimizes the chances Sale closes later this season season should Sergio Santos struggle. Sale owns a 19:3 K:BB over his last 13 games. |
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| Jun 27 2011 | Sale pitched 2.1 scoreless inning Sunday and struck out three in relief of Phil Humber in a loss to Washington. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He's only given up two earned runs over 10.1 innings in June, but the ascent of Sergio Santos to the closer's role this season has left many Sale owners to stash him away on the bench or cut him loose given the lack of save opportunities thus far. |
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| May 31 2011 | Sale picked up a one-out save in the White Sox's win over the Red Sox on Tuesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Red Sox quickly narrowed a five-run gap while Sale was warming up. Manager Ozzie Guillen trusted the embattled left-hander to face Adrian Gonezalez, and Sale threw all three of his pitches for strikes. Sale's ERA fell from 7.15 to 5.31 over the course of May, but he is nowhere close to usurping Sergio Santos as the team's closer. |
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| May 20 2011 | Sale pitched a scoreless eighth inning during Thursday's 8-2 win over Cleveland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale fanned a pair of batters, and has recorded at least one strikeout in eight straight outings. |
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| May 15 2011 | Sale threw a no-hit inning in a non-save situation against the A's on Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He might have given up any hits, but he did walk a pair and needed 24 pitches to record three outs. Matt Thornton has pitched in two higher-leverage situations of late, so he might have leapfrogged Sale in the pecking order. |
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| May 10 2011 | Sale threw a scoreless eighth inning in the White Sox's win over the Angels on Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This was his first appearance out of the bullpen since working on his mechanics with pitching coach Don Cooper last week. Three outs is too small of a sample size to determine whether the fix worked, but it's a step in the right direction. Sergio Santos remains the unofficial closer. |
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| May 3 2011 | Sale believes he identified his mechanical flaw from a video tape, ESPNChicago.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Pitching coach Don Cooper and bullpen coach Juan Nieves first found the error, and Sale will now work with those coaches to try and fix said flaw. He might be sending his bags to Triple-A Charlotte if the trio can not correct it soon. |
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| Apr 26 2011 | Sale retired two Yankees in the eighth inning Monday before handing the ball off to Sergio Santos. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Santos wound up with the save while Sale only wound up with a strikeout. Manager Ozzie Guillen appears to prefer Santos in the ninth inning right now, but Sale and Matt Thornton could intrude if the opposing lineup features left-handed batters. |
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| Apr 13 2011 | Sale blew his first chance at a save (although not technically) on Wednesday, facing three batters in the ninth up by three runs and allowing hits to all three. He was then lifted for Jesse Crain. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Bad news for Sale, who looked primed to put at least a little bit of a grip on the closer's role. However, it's not like the rest of the group helped themselves out, as Crain could only get one out and then Matt Thornton finished the job by allowing a bases-loaded hit to tie the game. |
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| Apr 10 2011 | Sale picked up the save in the White Sox's win over the Rays on Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The inning only lasted 13 pitches, but he allowed two hits in the frame (including a leadoff home run to Felipe Lopez). Manager Ozzie Guillen told the Chicago Sun-Times Matt Thornton remains his closer, but it looks like Sale will be second in line for saves. |
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| Apr 5 2011 | Sale allowed two runs on two hits in two-thirds of an inning of work against the Royals on Tuesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Both hits he allowed went for extra-bases, including a two-run home run by Billy Butler. An outing like this won't help Sale sneak into the closer role, but Matt Thornton has shown no signs of losing that job. |
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| Apr 2 2011 | Sale struck out a pair and did not allow a baserunner over 1.1 innings Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He's the primary left-handed setup man for the White Sox, who haven't had to use Matt Thornton for a save situation in a pair of five-run victories over Cleveland to begin the year. |
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| Mar 28 2011 | Sale could not play Monday because of a stiff neck, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Apparently he had the condition as early as Sunday, but he was able to pitch through it and strike out Prince Fielder in that game. The neck will likely end his Cactus League days, but he will be ready to go for Opening Day on Friday. He finished the spring with 14 strikeouts in 10.2 innings, and he will serve as Matt Thornton's top left-handed set-up guy. |
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| Mar 22 2011 | Sale struck out two Mariners in a perfect inning Tuesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale worked with pitching coach Don Cooper over the weekend, and he responded with nine strikes in 13 pitches. Sale may not be the White Sox's closer, but he should provide a healthy number of middle relief strikeouts. |
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| Mar 19 2011 | Sale has lost the White Sox's closer battle to Matt Thornton, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Thornton out-pitched Sale this spring, and manager Ozzie Guillen thought it would be too much pressure on Sale to name him the team's closer this early in his career. Guillen did not elaborate on what Sale's role will be, but he will likely be the team's first left-handed option in the eighth inning. |
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| Mar 17 2011 | Sale threw a scoreless inning against the Brewers on Wednesday, but pitching coach Don Cooper said he needs a "tuneup," the Chicago Tribune reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Cooper said he would work exclusively with Sale on Saturday in hopes of improving his deception toward right-handed batters. Righties have hit Sale to the tune of a .385 BAA in 5.2 innings this spring, resulting in a 7.94 ERA in that split. The Tribune reporter called Matt Thornton a "virtual lock" for the closer role, meaning Sale would fall into a left-handed specialist slot. |
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| Mar 15 2011 | Sale allowed three runs on four hits in one inning against the Padres on Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He picked up his ninth strikeout in 7.1 spring innings in this one, but he also saw his ERA rise to 7.36 through five appearances. Manager Ozzie Guillen told the Chicago Tribune he was a little "disappointed" in Sale's inconsistent location of pitches. He is not out of the closer race yet, but it looks like he is losing ground to Matt Thornton. |
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| Mar 13 2011 | Manager Ozzie Guillen said he has yet to pick a closer, the Chicago Tribune reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Matt Thornton may still be considered the favorite for the role (as evidenced by his recent two-year extension), but Sale has struck out eight in 6.1 spring innings. If Sale does not win the ninth inning role, then he should pitch in the seventh or eighth. |
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| Mar 8 2011 | Sale struck out three over two scoreless innings against the Diamondbacks on Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He issued his first walk of the spring in this one, but he has already struck out six in four Cactus League innings. Teammate Matt Thornton may have the inside edge on the closer role, but Sale should be able to provide middle relief K's, especially if he is given the ball for multiple innings during the regular season. |
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| Mar 3 2011 | Sale allowed two runs on three hits in his inning of work against the Brewers on Tuesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: No need for alarm here - two of the three hits allowed were infield balls that the Sox's gloves did not play well, and Sale still got through three outs in nine pitches (eight strikes). Matt Thornton had the cleaner inning Tuesday (no runs on two hits), but Sale is still in the running to be an important element in the White Sox's endgame. |
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| Feb 24 2011 | Sale will make his Cactus League debut on March 2, the Chicago Tribune reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale's increasing workload throughout the spring will not be an indication that he will be joining the rotation, but rather the White Sox will use the opportunity to help Sale add pitches to his repertoire. |
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| Feb 17 2011 | General manager Kenny Williams announced Thursday that Sale will begin the season in the bullpen, Chuck Garfien of CSN Chicago reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale will be in the mix as a potential closer, although manager Ozzie Guillen said Thursday that he would prefer to see Matt Thornton in that role. ESPNChicago.com reported Wednesday that the White Sox would schedule Sale's spring training outings like those of a starter, but that plan will presumably be changed with Sale destined for the bullpen. |
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| Feb 16 2011 | The White Sox will schedule Sale's spring training outings like those of a starter, ESPNChicago.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This means he will see his pitch count increased each time he throws, conceivably all the way up to a pitch count worthy of a rotation spot. Whether Sale will be able to qualify for a spot in the White Sox's starting five will depend on Jake Peavy's health and also on Sale's standing in the bullpen. This news by no means signals he is being ordained for the rotation and not the bullpen, but rather the rotation will at least be an option for the start of the season. |
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| Feb 12 2011 | Manager Ozzie Guillen said he envisions Sale pitching out of the bullpen this year on WSCR radio in Chicago on the "White Sox Weekly" show. Said Guillen: "Right now, I see him in the bullpen." | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Of course, he didn't specify whether Sale would be closing or pitching in a set-up role, but for now, it looks less likely that Sale would be in the rotation, barring a change of heart from his manager. |
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| Jan 21 2011 | The White Sox have yet to determine Sale's role for the 2011 season, the Daily Herald reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale's role may largely depend on Jake Peavy's recovery from a season-ending shoulder injury. Sale could be slotted into the Sox's fifth starter role for the first couple of weeks of the season if Peavy has not yet recovered, and Sale would pitch from the bullpen if Peavy is OK to start the year (or manager Ozzie Guillen opts to roll with Tony Pena in that slot). If Sale does stay in the bullpen, then the big question becomes, does he close3F Sale closed out four games toward the end of the 2010 season, but Guillen may elect to use Matt Thornton in that spot. The fog should lift on this situation as we get closer to Cactus League play. |
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| Dec 7 2010 | Manager Ozzie Guillen said Sale might be the early favorite for the White Sox's closer role, the Chicago Tribune reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This contradicts Guillen's statements earlier in the offseason in which he said the organization would transition Sale back into a starting role. Those plans may have changed since Bobby Jenks and J.J. Putz left the bullpen, and expect this story to develop through spring training. |
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| Sep 26 2010 | The White Sox plan to give Sale a chance to become a starter in 2011, the team's official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale has done well as a short reliever and sometimes closer in his first professional season, but he came out of college as a starter and it sounds like the Sox want to see if his stuff can hold up for multiple innings. He might still be in the 2011 bullpen picture if the Sox decide to let Bobby Jenks go. |
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| Sep 26 2010 | The White Sox plan to give Sale a chance to become a starter in 2011, the team's official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale has done well as a short-reliever and sometimes closer in his first professional season, but he came out of college as a starter and it sounds like the Sox want to see if his stuff can hold up for multiple innings. He might still be in the 2011 bullpen picture if the Sox decide to let Bobby Jenks go. |
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| Sep 11 2010 | Manager Ozzie Guillen said he was happy with Sale's ability to close, ESPNChicago.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale appears to be Guillen's pitcher of choice in save situations with usual guy Bobby Jenks (forearm) unavailable. Sale's probably worth a grab for save-hungry fantasy contenders, but keeper leaguers should note the Sox have still not decided whether his future is in the bullpen or rotation. |
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| Sep 10 2010 | Sale earned his second save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning against the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Bobby Jenks was unavailable due to a pinched nerve, so Sale was given the nod over Matt Thornton for the ninth inning after J.J. Putz worked the eighth. Even if Jenks remains sidelined, Sale would almost certainly be working in a committee, rather than taking on sole possession of the ninth-inning work. |
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| Sep 7 2010 | Sale earned his first career MLB win by holding the Tigers scoreless over 2.2 innings Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He struck out three and threw 22 of his 33 pitches for strikes. He has only allowed one run in the 13.2 innings since his callup August 12, and Monday's outing proved he can pitch out of long relief. That skill should keep the appearances flowing even with fellow lefty Matt Thornton back in the bullpen. |
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| Sep 2 2010 | Sale picked up his first big league save with a pair of strikeouts and a pair of walks during the ninth inning of Wednesday's win over Cleveland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Injuries in the bullpen led to the opportunity for the 21-year-old left-hander to work the ninth inning Wednesday, but consider this to be more of a situational deal than a permanent shift. Still, it's a good sign that manager Ozzie Guillen trusts his young left-hander in high leverage situations and it's worth noting that Bobby Jenks' future in Chicago remains in doubt beyond the end of the 2010 season. |
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| Aug 24 2010 | Sale's role could grow should Matt Thornton's forearm injury prove to be serious, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: If Thornton lands on the disabled list, then Sale would become the bullpen's sole left-handed reliever. Sale has eight strikeouts (to two walks) over his last 5.1 innings (four appearances), and he could potentially pitch four-to-five times per week sans Thornton. |
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| Aug 17 2010 | Sale threw two strikeouts over 1.1 perfect innings against the Tigers Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale was the only Sox arm to go scoreless against the Tigers in this one, and he has settled down since the Sox first called him up at the beginning of the month. He did not retire a batter in his first appearance August 6, but he has not yielded a baserunner over his last two appearances (2.2 innings). He probably does not have a shot at closing, even with J.J. Putz struggling. |
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| Aug 6 2010 | Sale pitched to two Orioles Friday and failed to record an out in the White Sox' loss. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He entered the eighth inning of a 1-1 ball game, and he only managed to throw three of his seven pitches for strikes. He could be a decent source of bullpen K's at some point this season, but keep in mind his swift progression through the White Sox' minor league system. |
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| Aug 4 2010 | The White Sox promoted Sale from Triple-A Charlotte before Wednesday's game, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale had a whopping 15 strikeouts in 6.1 innings for Triple-A Charlotte, and he could give Matt Thornton some relief as another lefty in the bullpen. Bear in mind he was pitching for Florida Gulf Coast University just a few months ago. |
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| Aug 3 2010 | Sale could join the White Sox as soon as Wednesday, the Chicago Tribune reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Sox' staff needs another left-handed reliever after Erik Threets (toe) went on the DL Tuesday. Sale has struck out a whopping 15 batters over his 6.1 innings at Triple-A Charlotte, and he reportedly has a deceptive delivery. He has pitched as a reliever since the draft, and it's unclear if the Sox plan on stretching him out over the winter. |
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| Jul 13 2010 | Sale was promoted to Triple-A Charlotte on Monday, the Naples Daily News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It certainly did not take Sale long to reach the top minor league level. Sale, the 13th pick in this year's draft, made just four appearances with High-A Winston-Salem before the promotion to Triple-A. The White Sox will use Sale primarily out of the bullpen, at least this season, so there is a decent chance he ends up in Chicago by the end of the season. |
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| Jun 7 2010 | With the 13th overall pick in the first round, the White Sox selected Sale from Florida Gulf Coast University. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sale posted a 146:14 K:BB in 103 innings with a 2.01 ERA. He was expected to go higher in the draft, and looks like a potential bargain in the middle of the round. He has excellent command of a 90-95 MPH fastball, plus change-up, and decent breaking ball. He has an unusual delivery but has had no serious physical ailments. |
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