Four optimistic Boston Red Sox predictions for 2020 season
By Max Bozicas
Chris Sale returns to form
Chris Sale had the worst season of his career in 2019. A lack of preparation in spring training led to a rocky start for him and he never truly found his groove. To make matters worse, he wound up having his season cut short by an elbow injury.
There hasn’t been many updates on Sale recently, but we have been given no reason to believe that the elbow will be a problem for him. Sale did not need surgery and was cleared to throw, so we can operate under the assumption that he’ll be going into the season firing on all cylinders.
It’s fair to simply call last season a down year for Sale. He has earned the benefit of the doubt given his track record, but he will need to prove that he’s still got it in 2020. Sale’s return to being a dominant ace would be a huge boost to a rotation that struggled immensely in 2019.
The Red Sox will be counting on Sale to bounce back. Based on what we have seen from him at his peak, it’s not difficult to envision that happening. Even if the team ultimately struggles regardless, who doesn’t want to see Sale make batters look foolish again?