After a dominant start in a Boston Red Sox uniform, Chris Sale has not been quite as sharp in his most recent performances.
On the surface, an 8-2 record with a 2.97 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 91 innings is an outstanding line, and most would not be concerned about that stat line out of their ace. With that being said, Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale posted a 1.19 ERA through April, and it’s been downhill from there.
In Sale’s defense, there’s truly nowhere to go but down from a 1.19 ERA. However, most wouldn’t have expected the decline in performance that he has had, posting a 4.24 ERA in the month of May.
This season his two-seam fastball velocity has increased slightly to 93.4 mph and he averages north of 95 with his four-seam fastball, which is definitely not a problem. His two-seam fastball velocity in 2017 actually matches his career average, while his four-seam is his fastest since he was a rookie in the bullpen.
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What’s alarming is his increase in slider usage. He’s using his slider more (28.4 percent), which can be taxing on the left-handers arm after 30-35 starts.
Another reason Sale could struggle is due to his approach on the mound. If you’ve watched Sale pitch this season, you’ll notice that there is seldom an at-bat where he doesn’t use all three of his pitches.
Guys can figure him out after they’ve seen a few sliders, and I feel like this had already happened. In the 5th inning this season, Sale’s ERA is 8.31, an alarmingly high mark.
Also, his batting average against is .278 in June, compared to his season mark of .210.
You can go ahead and tell me I’m dead wrong and all these stats mean nothing, but it is hard to deny that they are alarming and could indicate struggles that Sale may endure.
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Sale gets the ball tonight against the Philadelphia Phillies, a very weak offense that he should overpower. When faces more offensive fire power, don’t be shocked if we don’t see the same domination.