Sale not worried by velocity dip
BOSTON — Chris Sale missed a month late in the season with left shoulder inflammation.
He returned in time to build his pitch count back up to nearly 100 pitches in his last outing, but there was an alarming red flag attached to it, as Sale’s fastball averaged 90.2 mph — more than 5-mph slower than he’d averaged the rest of the season.
Sale said he’s used Boston’s extended off time to work on his mechanics — particularly with his lower half — and he’s ready to redeem himself after a rough postseason a year ago.
In Game 1 of the ALDS in Houston, the lefty gave up seven runs in five innings in an 8-2 loss, a defeat he said has stayed with him.
“I’m not going to run away from it,’’ Sale said. “I don’t think that’s the right thing to do. Obviously, I look back and I realize the mistakes I made, and like I said, try to learn from it.”
His most recent outing didn’t help Sale build any confidence. Pitching against the lowly Orioles, Sale gave up three runs in just 4 ²/₃ innings, though he struck out eight.
The major cause for concern, though, came in the dip in velocity. Sale insists he’s not worried. “If I take the mound, I expect to win,’’ Sale said. “I don’t care what I have on a given day, I should be able to find a way with whatever I have. In terms of what that was [with the lower velocity], it’s a game, what are you going to do? Sometimes you go out there and you have your best, sometimes you don’t.”
Most of the time, Sale is at his best against the Yankees.
In two starts this season, Sale gave up just one run in 13 innings. He allowed nine hits and a walk, while striking out 19.
That success is no fluke; Sale has a 1.61 career ERA versus the Yankees over 100 ²/₃ innings.
Sox manager Alex Cora made it clear he intends to ride Sale and the rest of his starters harder than some rotations.
“We work differently than other teams,’’ Cora said. “We relied on our starters throughout the season. They carry us. We felt that on a nightly basis they were going to give us a chance to win, either five innings, six innings, whatever. They were very consistent about it.”
Sale will get his first test of his second postseason Friday, with the memory of getting knocked around in the ALDS last year still on his mind.
“I’m not going to hide from it,’’ Sale said. “You can Google it now, tomorrow and 100 years and it’s going to be there. I own it. I accept it. And like I said, I’m going to be better. I’m going to go do everything I can to be better.”