Chris Sale on the last few years with the Red Sox: ‘Best, worst days of my life were there’
Chris Sale on the last few years with the Red Sox: ‘Best, worst days of my life were there’
Following Chris Sale’s extension he signed after the 2018 season, the left-hander spent the next handful of seasons battling various injuries.
Tommy John surgery and freak injuries limited Sale to under 200 innings pitched over four seasons.
Sale can now close the book on his Red Sox tenure following the trade that sent him to the Braves.
“Ups and downs, man. Life,” Sale said on a Zoom call Thursday, shortly after his extension with Atlanta was announced. “Best days of my life were there. Worst days of my life were there. But the people — it’s my teammates, it’s the front office, it’s the training staff. Everybody there. All those guys had my back. I’m forever grateful for that. And I’m forever indebted to them.”
Sale and $17 million was traded to the Braves for infielder Vaughn Grissom last Saturday. The southpaw agreed to a two-year, $38 million extension with the Braves on Wednesday.
The veteran hurler acknowledged to reporters that his contract with the club was a failure. He also was impressed with how the Red Sox treated him over the last few seasons, making the decision to waive his no-trade clause easier.
“They made a big commitment to me and I didn’t hold up my end of the bargain and they were always great to me,” Sale said. “They always treated me with respect. They always made me feel loved. They always made me feel wanted. Anything I ever wanted or needed, anything my family ever wanted or needed, they were there for me. Always. Through and through. So I appreciate that. To categorize it any one way, there’s not really a word I’d put on it. But I’ll never forget the people that I met there, the relationships I had and that 2018 season where we lifted up that trophy as World Champions.”
Sale’s new deal will pay $16 million in 2024 and $18 million in 2025. Sale was originally due to make $27.5 million for the 2024 season, split between $17.5 million this year and $10 million in deferred money, with a club option existing for 2025.
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