Boston Red Sox starter Chris Sale’s last few starts may have cost him a chance at his first career Cy Young Award. Can he still top Corey Kluber?
Now if you had a pitcher who had 16 wins, almost 300 strikeouts, and an earned run average below 3.00, you would expect that he should win the award for best pitcher of the year right? Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale has been more than we could have expected this season.
When we acquired Sale from the Chicago White Sox, we expected him to create a formidable rotation with the likes of David Price, and the 2016 Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello. While that has not gone according to plan with Price out because of injury, and Porcello having a complete U-turn of a season, Sale has managed to help keep the rotation afloat.
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Up until late August and the month of September, it seemed as if Sale had the Cy Young in the bag. Not only has that notion been completely erased, it seems as if he will not win the Cy Young at all. In the month of September alone, Sale does not even look like the same pitcher. In his last six outings, he has an earned run average over
In his last six outings, he has an earned run average over 4.00 and has been allowing home runs in bunches, with two or more in three of those outings. Not only has his play been decreasing, but there is another factor as to why Sale will most likely not be taking home the Cy Young hardware.
Since the second half has started, Corey Kluber, the ace of the Cleveland Indians staff, has been on an absolute tear. Since the start of August, Kluber has an ERA below 2.00. He now has more wins than Sale, and also has quite a few fewer innings pitched. Kluber has pitched like the ace Cleveland has needed, while Sale has been a little inconsistent over the last month or so.
Sale has definitely not played himself out of the Cy Young. Kluber has just been pitching as good if not better than the best pitchers in baseball. Sale should not be disappointed with the effort that he has put out this season, but it is looking more likely than not that Kluber will be taking home his second Cy Young based on how he has looked over the second half of the season.