Sale won’t hold anything back
Questions remain about Red Sox pitcher’s health, stamina
The subject of Chris Sale’s upset stomach is clearly getting very stale, very fast.
The only way he’ll be able to put the questions about his bad belly-ache and irritant of a belly-ring behind him is with a Chris Sale of old start tonight in Game 1 of the World Series.
That Chris Sale, the one who seemed destined for a Cy Young Award before a couple of bouts of mild shoulder irritation derailed the second half of the season, hasn’t been seen in these parts in some time.
The dropoff in performance was compounded by a bout of severe stomach issues that put him in the hospital and out of ALCS Game 5 consideration.
His health, not his pitching, has been front and center, and when asked if he’s been 100 percent in the past two months, Sale spit out a short and direct answer.
“If I’m standing on the mound, I’m a hundred percent,” he said.
OK, well, how many innings can he throw?
“As many as we need – there’s no holding back now, I think,” said Sale. “My job’s been the same since the first day I got here. You hand me the ball when you want me to throw it, and take it out of my hand when you want me to stop. That’s what I’m going with.”
Sale said he was “ready to go” and start Game 6 of the ALCS if the Red Sox had not won in five games.
He ignored the suggestion he’s put on more weight since Houston, saying only “I was ready to go then, I’m ready to go now. And looking forward to it.”
His pitching coach and manager feel Sale will be in tip-top shape.
“I think I said this about David (Price) going into Game 5, we look for (Sale) to dominate each hitter, dominate each out he gets,” said Dana LeVangie. “How far he goes, whatever it is, we’ll take it – one, two, three, four, five, we’ll take it. Looking forward to it.”
Said Cora: “He’s doing OK, he’s doing OK. Actually he’s going to go out and throw a little bit more. He’s ready to roll. I think all these off days are going to help him out physically and with his belly button ring, whatever.”
The belly-ring irritation ruse, which Sale threw out on Sunday, got brought up and it brought up a moment of levity. Asked if it were true story or not, Sale said,
“I’ll leave that for you guys to debate.”
And when informed that Brock Holt said if the Red Sox win the World Series he would get both a nipple and a belly button ring, Sale cracked wise and a smile.
“Hey, that’s what I do – fashionista, I guess.”