‘Guys like that deserve a lot of support’: Why Tigers manager A.J. Hinch is rooting for Chris Sale
Sale tossed seven strikeouts in his return to the Red Sox' rotation on Friday.
More Red Sox
Chris Sale hasn’t been on the mound nearly as much as he — or any Red Sox fan — would’ve liked him to be since signing a massive contract extension in 2019.
Bitten by the injury bug on multiple occasions, Sale is trying to put all that behind him and move forward now that he’s healthy and back with the Red Sox. On Friday, he tossed seven strikeouts in less than five innings of work while Boston beat the Detroit Tigers 5-2.
Sale caught the attention of Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, who had plenty of nice things to say about the pitcher who beat his club.
“I’m rooting for him from a baseball fan standpoint,” Hinch told reporters following Friday’s game. “He’s done it at the highest level in the most intense environment and on the biggest stage. Guys like that deserve a lot of support.”
From 2012 to 2018, Sale had seven straight All-Star selections and finished top five in Cy Young voting six times. Starting in 2019, though, Sale began missing considerable time. He hasn’t been a permanent fixture in Boston’s rotation since.
Tommy John surgery held Sale out of the entire shortened 2020 season, and he’s dealt with a slew of other injuries as well. But, when healthy and at his best, Chris Sale can still be a dynamic pitcher. He proved that on Friday.
“In the big picture, Chris Sale is an important figure in baseball. He’s a star,” Hinch said. “The stuff that he’s brought, the success that he’s had, All-Star appearances, Cy Young stuff. Everything about Chris Sale is worth it for everybody to pay attention to.”
The Red Sox have struggled on the mound throughout the 2023 season. If they want to fight for a wildcard spot, they’ll need Sale to continue his upward trend into October.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com