Many Boston Red Sox fans were excited to see the team trade perennially injured pitcher Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves this offseason.
It seems those members of Red Sox Nation may have spoken too soon.
Lucas Giolito suffered a possible season-ending injury before the Red Sox 2024 campaign even started. Initial scans of Giolito's right arm showed a partially torn UCL and he's set to get a second opinion on his imaging on March 11.
Until the next round of scans, Red Sox Nation is left in limbo, wondering about Giolito's future in the rotation. It's shocking to admit, but many Sox fans would feel much more comfortable with Sale back in the rotation this year, and they're taking to social media to share their feelings.
Red Sox reporters and fans share their thoughts about the Chris Sale trade after Lucas Giolito injury news
"Is there a more Red Sox thing to happen than this?!"
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) March 5, 2024
Felger & Mazz react to reports that Red Sox' pitcher Lucas Giolito will likely undergo Tommy John surgery pic.twitter.com/D63dHuB9t6
Boston radio personality Tony Massarotti called Giolito's injury the "most Red Sox thing" that could happen. The Sox signed Giolito to be an innings-eater, and their new, durable pitcher likely missing the entire season while Sale is finally healthy in another uniform is peak Red Sox bad luck.
Granted, there's no telling how long Sale's clean bill of health will last, but this spring, he lasted longer than the Red Sox's previously sturdy alternative.
Imagine if we still had Chris Sale pic.twitter.com/fxdOMP7gwY
— Justin (@jryanxc96) March 5, 2024
It doesn't help that Vaughn Grissom, Boston's reward for the Sale trade, is also injured and won't be ready for Opening Day (and beyond).
Quite something that the player the Red Sox acquired for Chris Sale is injured.
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) March 2, 2024
Red Sox Nation is understandably disillusioned by the way the offseason has gone, but most of Boston's winter woes were self-imposed. The Giolito and Sale role reversal is just another stab of rotten luck that feels even worse because there's nowhere to place blame.
Surely, most Sox fans wish Sale well in this new chapter of his career. Despite him playing fewer games than he wanted in a Red Sox uniform, Boston will never forget Sale bringing Manny Machado to his knees for the final strikeout of the 2018 World Series. He's given the Red Sox many great moments.
But of course, in true Sale fashion, the moment the Red Sox need him most is when he's already gone, and when the team is still paying for him.