Red Sox: Top-10 reasons to get excited about baseball in 2018

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BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 09: Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox throws a pitch in the fifth inning against the Houston Astros during game four of the American League Division Series at Fenway Park on October 9, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

I’m too young to remember the days when every Pedro start was an event. I had never seen a starting pitcher in a Boston uniform that had the capability to strike out 300 batters annually until this past season. Chris Sale is hands down the most exciting pitcher I have seen start games for the home nine at Fenway Park.Every time the man steps to the mound there’s a tangible feeling that something incredible might happen.

In his first season in Boston, the southpaw topped 210 innings with a 2.90 ERA, and an ungodly 308 strikeouts to 43 walks. It seemed like every batter who stepped to the plate didn’t stand a chance.

Sale finished second last year in the Cy Young race after a comparatively rough last two months allowed Corey Kluber to overtake the top spot.

However, this year Sale has a potentially much more potent offense behind him and a division of competitors that looks to be about one and a half teams deep. With plenty of starts against the Rays, Jays, and O’s, look for Sale to match his monster numbers from last season and make a run at baseball’s top pitching award.

The Red Sox are smack in the middle of their competitive window and Sale has two years on his contract. I have never been so excited to watch a man throw a baseball and I hope everyone reading this feels the same way.

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