Boston Red Sox top-10 MLB All-Star Game performances
By Sean Penney
Chris Sale – 2017
Chris Sale became the first AL starter since 1983-84 to start consecutive All-Star Games. He did it first for the Chicago White Sox in 2016, then started the following year in his first season with the Red Sox. No other pitcher has started consecutive All-Star games representing different teams.
The production was fairly ho-hum. Sale tossed a pair of scoreless innings, scattering three hits without a walk. He struck out two.
It looked like Sale could be in trouble after allowing base hits to Daniel Murphy and Nolan Arenado to lead off the second inning. The threat was quickly squashed with a double-play and an inning-ending strikeout.
Craig Kimbrel got the win for the American League after pitching a scoreless ninth inning with the game tied. The fire-breathing closer walked a pair but also struck out two. Robinson Cano‘s home run won it in the top of the 10th inning.
The late-inning heroics don’t boost Sale’s stock on this list. However, it doesn’t hurt that his team eventually prevailed in his start while his Red Sox teammate was credited with the win. Add in the historical context of Sale making back-to-back All-Star Game starts and it makes for a memorable moment.