Red Sox lefty Chris Sale placed on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation
The Red Sox will be without Chris Sale.
The left-hander was placed on the 15-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation, the team announced on Friday.
"I got something going on with my shoulder, obviously, said Sale. I still have some things that I have to kind of go through to finalize what the deal is. But obviously, [it’s] a hit nonetheless."
Sale has now landed on the injured list in each of the last five seasons, that includes missing the entire 2020 season due to Tommy John surgery. Last season he suffered a rib fracture, a broken pinky finger and a broken wrist following a bicycle accident.
He’s only made 22 starts over the last four seasons.
The seven-time All-Star said that he felt the injury get worse as he was pitching in the fourth inning.
“First inning was great, second was kind of when it started happening, third inning was not very good and then the fourth inning, that was one that did me in.
“I kind of felt it on one pitch, and then after that it just slowly kept creeping up. The tolerance was not where I needed to be. I couldn’t finish pitches. I was raring back for 91. That’s just not it [for me], ever,” said Sale.
He underwent an MRI on Friday morning. The results from his MRI were not available, Alex Cora said doctors still needed to review the imaging results and then meet with the pitcher.
"I got MRIs, CT scan. I think they're looking over those right now. I think I have a couple more tests that I have to go through until we can kind of give a definitive answer. But still, obviously, not the situation you want to be in, for sure” said Sale.
The 34-year-old doesn’t think the injury will require surgery.
“I would say sometime next week, [I’ll know more],” said Sale. “Five, six, seven days. I talked to some of the doctors and [they] said at least within the next week, we'll know more. You guys know me. As soon as I find something out, I'll be sitting right here in front of you guys giving you guys the information you guys need to know.”
Sale had been getting back to top form on the mound, he posted a 5-2 record with a 4.58 ERA. He owns a 2.87 ERA in his last eight starts and had tossed five innings in seven of this last eight starts.
“Just disappointing,” said Sale. “I hate feeling like this. I started having fun playing baseball again, and now I’m back to not having fun. And that sucks. I was kind of getting used to sitting in front of you guys, talking about good stuff. It’s been a rocky road. I felt like I was over the hump, I really did. I felt like I was back to being myself. So when something like this happens, it’s deflating.”
Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisHenrique
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