Red Sox ace Chris Sale only lasting four innings last night is concerning
Red Sox ace Chris Sale only lasted four innings last night in Game One of the World Series. Why this is concerning going forward for the rest of the series.
This is the best time of year for baseball. The two best teams playing against each other for a World Series championship. Last night it was supposed to be a great pitching matchup between Chris Sale and Clayton Kershaw. It was one of those matchups that you really couldn’t predict. Kershaw had never faced the Boston Red Sox and Sale was making his first start since returning from the hospital for a stomach bug. But neither pitcher really lived up to the hype as both pitchers were out of the game before the sixth inning.
The only difference was the Sox performed offensively and scored runs, while the Dodgers didn’t. For Sale, though him only lasting four innings could be concerning going forward.
Sale is 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA and 1.105 WHIP this postseason. His only win came in Game One of the ALDS over the Yankees. In the ALCS, he pitched four innings against the Astros and his ERA was 4.50. The lefty gave up one hit, two runs, four walks, with five strikeouts.
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After his start in the ALCS, he was hospitalized with a stomach bug. He then said on Saturday that he was hospitalized because of an infection from a belly button ring. People laughed that off and all that mattered was he could pitch Game One of the World Series on Tuesday.
Last night came and he only lasted four innings giving up five hits, three runs, one home run, and seven strikeouts. His ERA last night was 6.75, which is not what you want from your ace pitcher in the playoffs. Overall, Sale has a 6.00 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP in six games over two years in the playoffs.
Even though home plate umpire Gerry Meals’ strike zone was small, the Red Sox lefty still needs to try and go deeper into games. Luckily for Sale, this might be the last time he starts this season as the Sox are really on a roll. But you want more from him and he needs to pitch better than he did last night. Sale discussed his outing with reporters after the game, according to Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald.
"“We’re at the point now we have the two best teams in baseball and there’s pretty much zero room for error. Both teams are grinding. They’re grinding, we’re grinding. My job as a starting pitcher is to pitch as deep as I can into the game and win, but I just have to give my team a chance. Luckily for me I have an unbelievable offense, a great defense and they picked me up tonight.”"
Sale’s pitch count was also really high when he exited the game. He threw 50 pitches altogether in the first two innings. When he came out of the game he was at 91, putting more pressure on the bullpen for the rest of the game.
The Sox managed him towards the end of the season well so he could pitch in these big moments. It started with inflammation in his shoulder that caused him to miss much of the second half of the regular season. Then this recent stomach bug that caused him to be hospitalized is concerning. He comes across as nothing is going on but when he’s out on the mound only lasting four innings in a Championship game throwing 91 pitches that’s a cause for concern.
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He’s right on one thing though. Luckily the offense, the defense, and the bullpen stepped up last night for Sale or the headlines would be a lot different today. Overall though, I’d be surprised if we see Sale even come out of the bullpen. I think there’s something going on with his shoulder and the Sox are waiting until after this series to announce it.