The Boston Red Sox received the best news they could hope for on Monday. According to ESPN‘s Jeff Passan, Chris Sale won’t need Tommy John surgery following his appointment with Dr. James Andrews. Sale was placed on the injured list earlier in the week with an elbow injury.
Chris Sale Injury Update: Ace Won’t Need Tommy John Surgery
This is obviously great news, but it doesn’t mean Sale’s completely in the clear. The Red Sox still don’t have a solid return date for their ace, although he’s probably done for the season. Passan went on to note that Sale received a PRP shot in his left elbow, which will reportedly help his elbow naturally stabilize. Sale will check in with Andrews in roughly six weeks, but MLB.com’s Ian Browne reports that the team does not expect Sale to return in 2019, even if they can make a playoff push.
The Red Sox don't expect Chris Sale to pitch again in 2019, Dave Dombrowski confirms via text.
— Ian Browne (@IanMBrowne) August 19, 2019
Even before the injury, this hasn’t been a good year for Chris Sale. Through his first 25 starts, Sale allowed a 4.40 ERA in 147.1 innings of work. The underlying numbers were a little better, as Sale owned a 3.40 FIP and a 2.95 xFIP during his time on the mound. Still, this isn’t what the Red Sox expected when they signed him to a five-year, $145 million contract prior to the start of the season. For the second straight year, the Red Sox ace will miss a sizable portion of the second half.
Sale’s disappointing season is a perfect encapsulation of the 2019 Red Sox. One year after winning 108 games and the World Series, Dave Dombrowski essentially opted to bring the exact same team back for another run at a title. It didn’t work out, as the Red Sox currently own an underwhelming 67-59 record and are 6 1/2 games out of the second wild card spot.
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