‘I’m going to sling it until you take it’: Chris Sale set to start Game 2 of ALDS

As expected, Chris Sale will be the Red Sox’s starting pitcher for Game 2 of their ALDS series against the Rays.

Manager Alex Cora made the announcement when speaking with reporters on Thursday.

“It was his turn [in the rotation],” Cora said of his decision to start Sale in Game 2. “The last time he pitched was Sunday. He didn’t throw too many pitches. To use him in Game 2 gives us the flexibility to use him later in the series.”

Sale’s start on Friday comes less than two months after he made his return to the majors following Tommy John surgery. Sale, who hadn’t pitched in the big league’s for two years due to injury before he made his return, was carefully managed by the Red Sox in his first starts back. He threw less than 90 pitches despite solid performances in each of his first three starts.

Cora admitted that the Red Sox have to “be careful” on how Sale is used in the playoffs.

“This guy’s important for the present and obviously the future of the organization,” Cora said. “It’s been two years for him to get to this point. All the hard work. All the tears. All the sweat throughout the process. So, we have to take care of him.”

As for Sale’s performance, he’s shown signs of the dominance he once had prior to the surgery. In nine starts, he’s 5-1 with a 3.16 ERA. Cora called Sale’s performance since his return “solid.”

“Not too many guys can come out of Tommy John surgery and you throw him in the middle of a pennant race and do the things that he has done. He has given us a chance to win,” Cora said.

Throwing an effective changeup has been a struggle for Sale. Opposing hitters are 18-for-40 (.450) against his changeup this season. In Sunday’s start against the Nationals, Sale threw five changeups. Two of them were called balls, one was hit for a single, another was hit for a double, and one was called for a strike.

“I think the biggest flaw in that [changeup] is the consistency,” Sale said. “If I throw 10 of them, four of them are really good. Two of them are ‘ehh’ and the other ones are batting practice. I just have to find a way to get more consistent with that pitch.”

Sunday’s start against the Nationals was his shortest since his return. In 2 1/3 innings pitched, Sale struck out seven but allowed three walks and four hits, giving up two runs.

Sale did have some better success in one of his two starts against the Rays this season. In his start in Tampa, where Friday’s Game 2 will take place, Sale allowed two runs on six hits, two walks, and three strikeouts in six innings pitched, which was his longest start of the season.

In his other start against the Rays, at Fenway Park, Sale allowed five runs (one earned) on 10 hits, one walk, and six strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings pitched.

This season’s playoff trip marks Sale’s third with the Red Sox. In 2018, Sale made three starts, allowing seven runs over 13 1/3 innings pitched in those outings. He also came out of the bullpen twice during those playoffs, including in the final inning when he struck out all three Dodgers hitters he faced to win the World Series for the Red Sox.

Cora said Sale could be used out of the bullpen later on. Sale’s excited though to get back on the mound in a postseason setting and “absolutely” thinks his experience in 2018 can help him.

“I think experience helps out a lot in this situation, with the playoffs and postseason,” Sale said. “There’s no reason to save an arm to go sit on the couch. This is all the baseball we have left, and tomorrow might not come. It doesn’t matter when or where. Just hand me the ball, and I’m going to sling it until you take it.”

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