Chris Sale returns from COVID-19, will start Friday vs. Orioles

Sale missed one scheduled start due to the virus.

Chris Sale returns to the rotation on Friday.

September 17, 2021

1 minute to read

After some brief speculation, Chris Sale will indeed start for the Red Sox on Friday against the Orioles.

Boston’s lefty ace makes his return to the rotation after receiving a positive COVID-19 test on Sept. 10. The virus forced Sale to miss his scheduled start against the White Sox on Sunday.

Due to MLB’s protocols, Sale had to miss at least 10 days since his positive test. Sale’s positive test was conducted on Sept. 8, making Friday the earliest day he could return.

Sale, who returned to the Red Sox in August after not pitching for two years due to Tommy John surgery, won’t have a pitch or innings limit, manager Alex Cora said.

Sale made his first start back from Tommy John surgery against the Orioles. In that outing, Sale pitched five innings, allowing two runs on six hits with eight strikeouts and zero walks. He’s 3-0 in five starts this season with a 2.52 ERA.

With Sale and Nick Pivetta back from COVID-19, the Red Sox will have some semblance of their regular rotation back. Following Sale’s start on Friday, Pivetta and Nathan Eovaldi will start the final two games of the series against the Orioles, respectively. Eduardo Rodriguez will start the first game against the Mets.