Elbow issue ends Sale’s season
BOSTON — Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale is receiving treatment for inflammation in his elbow that will shut him down for the rest of the regular season, another blow to the defending World Series champions whose postseason hopes appear all but dashed.
Orthopedist Dr. James Andrews gave Sale an injection of platelet-rich plasma Monday and said he will be re-evaluated in six weeks.
Looking beyond this frustrating season, the treatment could be good news for the club, which feared Sale might need Tommy John surgery. That would likely have cost him the 2020 season.
The Red Sox were off Monday and entered the day 61⁄2 games out of a wild-card spot.
The 30-year-old Sale was coming off two solid starts in which he combined for 25 strikeouts — including the 2,000th of his career — and allowed only three runs in 142⁄3 innings.
Sale finished the season 6-11 with a 4.40 ERA in 25 starts and 1471⁄3 innings.
Sale, a seven-time All-Star in his 10th season, was the fastest to reach 2,000 strikeouts in major league history.
Last season, Sale dealt with shoulder soreness after the All-Star break, limiting him to 29 innings.
He was also limited in the postseason, but closed out the World Series by striking out then-Dodgers infielder Manny Machado to clinch the Red Sox’s fourth title in 15 seasons.
Sale signed a six-year, contract in March that million in deferred money. $160 million includes $50
Nationals: Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer is expected to come off the IL to start Thursday against the Pirates. The Nationals ace had a bullpen session Monday. A smiling Scherzer said “See you Thursday,” as he walked by a group of reporters. Scherzer has been on the IL for most of the last six weeks because of a strained muscle in his back. His lone start in that span was July 25, when he allowed three runs in five innings in a no-decision against the Rockies. Scherzer is 9-5 with a 2.41 ERA in 20 starts. His 12.7 strikeouts per nine innings leads the NL.
Twins: Nelson Cruz was activated off the IL and was in the lineup Monday against the White Sox, batting third as the DH. The six-time All-Star slugger missed the last nine games with a ruptured tendon in his left wrist. Cruz, 39, is pain-free and will play through the injury. “We haven’t really had a hint of a discussion related to discomfort, related to anything associated with his wrist,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “He’s seemingly in great shape. He’s ready to play. He’s been adamant about that.” He entered the game hitting .294 with 32 HRs and 76 RBIs over 373 plate appearances in 87 games. The Twins optioned RHP Zack Littell to Triple-A Rochester as the corresponding move.
Braves: The Braves claimed OF Billy Hamilton off waivers from the Royals on Monday. Hamilton, 28, hit .211 with 12 doubles and 12 RBIs this season as his stolen base total dropped to 18. He swiped 56 bases in 2014 and increased his total by one in each of the next three seasons. The switchhitter signed with the Royals in December after spending the first six seasons of his major league career with the Reds, with whom he was a five-time Gold Glove finalist in center field. Hamilton has 295 career stolen bases, the fifth most of any active player. To make room for Hamilton, the Braves optioned RHP Bryse Wilson to Triple-A Gwinnett and recalled RHP Jacob Webb from the Stripers and placed him on the 60-day IL with a right elbow impingement. Hamilton had a $4.6 million salary on the last-place Reds, who went 67-95. He would have been eligible for free agency after next season.
Mets: Al Jackson, a tough left-hander who provided a rare glint of hope in the early days of the woebegone Mets, died after a long illness. He was 83. Jackson worked for the Mets for 50 years as a pitcher, major league coach, minor league pitching coordinator and front-office adviser. He pitched in the majors for 10 seasons, and no season was more challenging than the one in 1962 when the expansion Mets entered the majors and lost 120 games. “Little” Al Jackson, although he was 5-foot-10, had a record of 8-20 and 4.40 ERA. The next two years Jackson went 13-17 and 11-16. He was traded to the Cardinals in 1966 for Ken Boyer. Jackson joined the majors with the Pirates in 1959 and for his career went 67-99 with a 3.98 ERA. He later was pitching coach for the Red Sox and Orioles.