Sale encouraged after performance Tuesday vs. O’s
SARASOTA, Fla. — Chris Sale had a live arm during his outing against Baltimore on Tuesday. He sat at 95-96 miles per hour, touching 97. Still, the Orioles managed to put the bat on the ball with authority.
Sale worked five innings, yielding nine hits (two homers) and six runs (all earned) in a 6-2 loss at Ed Smith Stadium.
“That’s kind of the thing,” Sale said. “Warming up in the bullpen, you see where the stuff is at and you’re like, ‘All right.’ You know, you’re not expecting . But it’s how this game goes sometimes. You go out there with your best stuff and get whooped and go out there with basically nothing and find a way.”
In the first inning, Sale tried to beat Adley Rutchsman with an up-and-in fastball, but Rutschman managed to pull his hands in and find the barrel for a homer to left-center. A couple of batters later, Ryan Mountcastle scorched a no-doubter off the batter’s eye in center on a middleaway 3-and-1 fastball.
But both manager Alex Cora and Sale noted that this start marked a positive step for the lefthander, who looked strong throughout, working two scoreless frames to finish up.
“He felt like he could have pitched the sixth inning if he wanted to,” Cora said. “The changeup was playing.”
Wong could be ready:
Despite Connor Wong’s Grade 1 hamstring strain at the start of camp, there’s a chance he will make the Opening Day roster. Wong has played in just three Grapefruit League contests, but has participated in a good number of minor league games, receiving plenty of at-bats. He also has caught pitchers in live batting practice and bullpens, and ran at full speed Tuesday without any real issue.
“I think at-bats-wise, he’s been fine,” Cora said. “The only thing right now is just running. He’s running a straight line. He hasn’t run the bases yet. Right now, we believe there’s a shot for him to be ready for the end of camp and be ready to play.”
Casas in a jam: Triston Casas was a late scratch Tuesday with a sore left pinkie. He injured it while working out in the weight room Monday, jamming it catching a medicine ball.
“I played the game Monday with some pain,” said Casas, “but I thought with a good night’s rest, it would subside. But I woke up today and it was a little more swollen than it was yesterday. So as a precautionary reason I told and his first reaction was to take me out of the lineup.”
Help wanted in bullpen:
Lefthanded reliever Joely Rodriguez is optimistic about his progress following his Grade 2 oblique strain. “Today I feel like I can rotate,” he said. “Two days ago, I couldn’t do it.” The reality, however, is that Rodriguez will be out for a while, possibly two months. Then he will have to ramp up. Richard Bleier is now the lone lefthander in the bullpen. How do the Sox replace Rodriguez? Cora said they will meet as a staff Wednesday and throw out a few scenarios. One thing they will consider is whether they want a multi-inning guy or just a lefty.