Chris Sale

At 35 years old, Chris Sale has this physical status:

Christopher Allen Sale (born March 30, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB).

He previously played in MLB for the Chicago White Sox, with whom he made his major league debut on August 6, 2010.

As a power pitcher, Sale excels at achieving high numbers of strikeouts, and has set a number of strikeout-related records.

He bats and throws left-handed, stands 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m), and weighs 180 pounds (82 kg).A seven-time MLB All-Star from 2012 to 2018, Sale is a two-time American League (AL) leader in strikeouts, including in 2015 and 2017.

As of 2017, he is MLB's career leader in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.32), and reached 1,500 strikeouts in the second fewest innings pitched (1,290).

After reaching 300 strikeouts in a single season for the first time in 2017, he was selected as the AL Sporting News Starting Pitcher of the Year.

Although he has yet to win a Cy Young Award, in each of his All-Star seasons, he has placed in the top six. A native of Lakeland, Florida, located within the Tampa Bay Area, Sale played college baseball for Florida Gulf Coast University.

The Chicago White Sox selected him 13th overall in the 2010 amateur draft.

He was a key member of the Red Sox pitching rotation that helped the team win the 2018 World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He is under contract with Boston through 2024.

Early life

Sale was born in Lakeland, Florida. He graduated from Lakeland Senior High School, where he played basketball and baseball. After his senior year for the Dreadnaughts, Sale was drafted in the 21st round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft by the Colorado Rockies, but chose not to sign and instead attended Florida Gulf Coast University.

Personal life

Sale and his wife, Brianne, have three sons. They reside in Naples, Florida.

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College career

Under head coach Dave Tollett, Sale played college baseball for the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles baseball team. Sale had an 11–0 win-loss record and a 2.01 ERA over 17 games during the 2010 season. During a 146 strikeouts and 14 walks, Sale pitched 103 innings. At the end of the regular season, he led the NCAA in strikeouts. He was named the Atlantic Sun Conference Pitcher of the Year and the Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year. He is one of the four Eagles to play in the major leagues, as well as pitchers Jacob Barnes, Richard Bleier, and Casey Coleman.

Sale spent the NCAA offseason pitching in wooden bat summer leagues, like many top college players. He was an All-Star for the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League in 2008, and coaches recommended that he keep his now characteristic low three-quarter arm angle during his time in Wisconsin. Sale, a 2009 rookie with an earned run average of 1.47 and 57 strikeouts, appeared for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of Cape Cod Baseball League, where he was named MVP of the league's All-Star Game at Fenway Park and named Outstanding Pitcher of the league.

Professional career

In the first round of the 2010 MLB Draft, Sale was drafted by the White Sox with the 13th overall pick. He first registered with the White Sox in 2010 and was assigned to Winston-Salem Dash, the White Sox's Class A affiliate. Sale was batting in four games for the Dash with a 2.25 ERA in four innings. During his time with the Dash, Sale stole three runs and one earned run while walking two and striking out four runs. Charlotte Knights, the White Sox' Triple-A affiliate, was then promoted to the White Sox' Triple-A affiliate Charlotte Knights. Sale played in seven games for the Knights, posting a 2.84 ERA in 6+13 innings. While walking four and striking out 15 runs with the Knights, Sale gave up three hits and two earned runs.

On August 4, 2010, Sale made his MLB debut against the Baltimore Orioles in the eighth inning, and made his MLB debut on August 4, 2010. He was the first draft pick to be promoted to the majors against the Cleveland Indians on September 1, 2010. Sale went 2–1 in 21 appearances in his rookie year, with a 1.93 ERA, 32 strikeouts, and 4 saves.

Sale made 58 appearances out of the bullpen, a 2.79 ERA, 8 saves, and 79 strikeouts during 2011.

For the 2012 season, Sale made the switch to a starting pitcher. Sale won by 2–1 over the Tampa Bay Rays on May 28, with a career high 15 batters in 7+1/3 innings. With Eddie Cicotte, Ed Walsh, and Jim Scott, Sale's 15 strikeouts are tied for the second most in franchise history. Jack Harshman has set a record of 16 strikeouts in a game. Sales was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for the month of May, with a record of 4–1, 35 strikeouts, and a.181 opponents' average over six games.

In the 83rd All-Star Game in Kansas City, American All-Star manager Ron Washington selected Sale to pitch. This was Sale's first All-Star appearance.

Sale had a 17–8 record, a 3.05 ERA, and 192 strikeouts in 192 innings pitched during the 2012 season. In the polling for the AL Cy Young Award, he came in fifth place.

Sale and the White Sox announced on March 7, 2013 that they had agreed to a five-year, $32 million deal with two option years depending on the team.

During a 3–0 Sox victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on May 12, 2013, Sale put a one-hit shutout. Sale took a flawless game into the seventh inning of a perfect game. Mike Trout led up the middle of the game with one out in the top of the seventh inning. Trout was the only base runner during the game with 7 strikeouts and no walks, allowing them to win by 7 strikeouts and no walks. Sale had a 6–8 record and a 2.85 ERA in 2013 and 2013-38. For the second season in a row, he was named an All-Star. No runs, no walks, and no walks were allowed in the 2nd and 3rd innings, allowing no hits, no runs, no walks, and striking out two NL hitters. He was named the top pitcher for the American League, which lost the game 3–0.

Sale had an AL-leading 4 complete games, an 11–14 record, 226 strikeouts, and a 3.07 ERA in 214.1 innings pitched in the 2013 season. He was one of the lowest run supporters in the AL. Sale came in fifth place in Cy Young polls for 2013.

After suffering a flexor strain in his left (pitching) elbow, Sale was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 21. Sale retired the first 17 batters in a row against the New York Yankees on May 22, 2014, before allowing a single by Zoilo Almonte. The White Sox won the game 3–2. He struck out ten out of six innings pitched. Sale led 5–0 going into a game against the Angels on June 7, 2014, but the Angels had a 5–0 lead but lost 5 runs in the 7th inning, which featured a grand slam by Mike Trout. Sale maintained his dominance on the track, winning eight of his first nine appeals and posting an 8–1 record and a 2.08 ERA during the All-Star break.

Sale was first promoted by fans (alongside Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo) as part of the "Final Vote" campaign, despite not being on the All-Star roster for the first time. In the All-Star Game in Minneapolis, Sale welcomed all-star teammates Jose Abreu and Alexei Ramrez.

Sale had a 12–4 record, 208 strikeouts in 174 innings pitched, and a 2.17 ERA, the second best in the American League. In voting for the AL Cy Young award, he came in third, behind winner Corey Kluber and Félix Hernández.

Due to a foot injury, the 2015 year was on the disabled list. In a 6–2 win over the Minnesota Twins on April 12, he pitched 6 innings with 8 strikeouts. After hitting Mike Moustakas with a pitch during a game against the Kansas City Royals on April 23, 2015, home plate umpire Sam Holbrook warned Sale after being warned by him. After his colleague Adam Eaton grounded out to Yordano Ventura, Sale became involved in a bench-clearing brawl later today. When the White Sox lost to the Royals 2–3 in 13 innings, Sale was one of five players to be suspended for his role in the brawl. Sale was suspended for five games on April 25, the 25th of April.

Sale batters struck out 14 batters in a June 8 victory over the Houston Astros. Sale played his 5th straight game with 12 or more strikeouts on June 19, tying a major league record. In addition, Sale had his 6th game in a row with at least 10 strikeouts on June 19. Sale struck out 12 batters against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 30, tying his eighth straight start with at least 10 strikeouts. Pedro Martnez, a Boston Red Sox pitcher who made the match when pitching for the Boston Red Sox in 1999, shared the record.

Sale set the franchise record for the number of strikeouts in a season on October 2 against the Detroit Tigers. Ed Walsh, the previous record of 269 strikeouts in a season, was set in 1908. Sale's 270th strikeout came in the midst of his 203rd inning of 2015. He went 13-11 for a 3.41 ERA and led the majors in strikeouts per 9 innings (11.82) and hit by pitch (13).

Sale started winning each of his first nine starts in 2016. He made the All-Star Break with a 14-03 record (12 quality starts), an ERA of 3.38, and a WHIP of 1.04. Ned Yost, the manager of the Kansas City Royals, has named him as the starter for the 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Sale pitched one inning and gave up a home run to Chicago Cub Kris Bryant in the All Star Game.

The White Sox were supposed to wear throwback uniforms on July 23, based on Bill Veeck's creation during his second ownership of the White Sox. Although Sale wasn't keen about the prospect, he felt the pullover jerseys were too baggy and interfered with his pitching mechanics, and so he used scissors to tear up the throwback uniforms that had been laid out in the clubhouse, while the rest of the team was on the field for practice. The White Sox sent Sale home and scratched him from his start on the day, and the White Sox took the field in 1982-86 throwbacks instead. On July 24, the White Sox suspended Sale for five days. In 226.2 innings pitched, Sale got off to a 17-ten record, a 3.34 ERA, and 233 strikeouts in 2016. He also ruled the majors with 6 complete games and 17 hits batsmen.

Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Luis Alexander Basabe, and Victor Diaz traded with the Boston Red Sox on December 6, 2016. Sale went from 49 to 41 after joining Boston, because Tim Wakefield's 49th birthday is unofficially retired.

Sale began the season by securing 10 or more batters in eight straight starts, tying the major league record he already shared with Pedro Martez. Sale was named the American League's starting pitcher at the All-Star Game in the first half of 2017 after going 11–4 with a 2.75 ERA and an MLB leading 178 strikeouts in the first half of the season, the first pitcher to do so since Randy Johnson started for the National League in 2000 and 2001, and the first for the AL since 1983–84. In the game, Sale batted out two batters in two scoreless innings. Sale made his second appearance in his first appearance since the All-Star break, beating out 200 batters in his first 20 starts of a season. On August 29, Sale was pitching against the Toronto Blue Jays, his 1,500th strikeout in his career, becoming the fastest to do so in terms of innings pitched. He had reached 1,290 runs, defeating Kerry Wood, who had done so in 1,303 innings. When he struck out 13 batters on September 20, Sale had reached 300 strikeouts for the season. Clayton Kershaw's first 300 strikeout season since 2005, and the first in the American League since Martnez in 1999.

Sale had a 17–8 record, a 2.90 ERA, and a record-setting 308 strikeouts in 32 starts in 2017. He led the majors in strikeouts per 9 innings (12.93). With a 93–69 record, the Red Sox clinched the AL East division.

Sale was the starting pitcher in Game 1 of the Division Series against the Houston Astros in his first postseason appearance of his MLB career. In five innings, he allowed nine hits and seven runs, but lost. In Game 4, Sale then pitched four hits and two runs in 4+2-3 innings, before losing by 5–4 as the Astros defeated the Red Sox. In 9+2nd3 innings pitched, Sale had a postseason ERA of 8.38 while striking out 12 and walking one. Despite being the favorite to win the AL Cy Young award for the second time during the entire regular season, Sale finished second in the poll behind Corey Kluber, who won the award for the second time. Despite pitching more innings and executing more strikeouts in 148-13 innings (21 starts) before August 1, Sale's subpar finishing the season after a brutal start to the season (13–4 with a 4.4 ERA and 13 home runs allowed), but it was 6–2 with a 1.62 ERA in 158-13 innings (13 starts) and a 9.74 percent chance at winning the Cy Young in 2007-08 innings (13 runs) after June 13 innings (13–03 innings (21 runs in a (21 runs in despite more strikeouts in a a (11 runs in a running in batting, but a run to the season (22 runs, but a a a a a 1.3321 starts) and a a a a 1.62 a 1.04, a 1.22 starts and a a 9.82 a a a a a a aion-4913 innings (2321 starts) and a a a a adoutsand a 9.72 a 6.60+2 a a 9.72 a in a 1.61 and a and a 5.62 runs and a 0.601-31-0813 innings (21 starts) and a 6.64, but 381 a 6.6613 innings (231321 runs in a 1.72 a a a a a 6.64+221321 with a 4.6013 innings (21 starts) and 8.5513 runs in a 6.62 with a 9.71 for a a 5.161-72 a 0.68 a 0.82 for a 9.74 K/BB on 62413 innings (13-16 starts) before June 288. He did finish ninth in the AL MVP poll, becoming the first Red Sox pitcher to finish first since Pedro Martnez finished fifth in 2000.

Sale was the starting pitcher for the 2018 Red Sox on Opening Day. He pitched six innings against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, giving up only one hit and walking three while striking out nine. However, the Rays won by six runs off Boston's bullpen in the eighth inning off Boston's bullpen, beating the Red Sox 6–4 and leaving Sale with no decision. Sale had a 1.76 ERA over six starts and hit 60 strikeouts in 41 innings in June; he was named Month's Pitcher of the Month. Sale pitched six innings against the Kansas City Royals on July 6, but only gained by allowing just one run against them. It was his ninth victory of the season (against four losses) and his 100th victory in his MLB career. Sale was named to the 2018 MLB All-Star Game for the third year in a row; on July 16, he was named the AL starting pitcher for the third year in a row. On July 31, Sale was put on the disabled list due to left shoulder inflammation; at that time in the season, he had an 11–4 record with a 2.04 ERA in 22 starts. He was activated on August 12, and he was the winning pitcher of that day's match against Baltimore. Sale was also on the 10-day disabled list on August 18, retroactive to August 15, due to the same shoulder inflammation. In that day's game against Toronto, he was activated on September 11, pitching one inning.

In the American League Division Series, Sale made two appearances, one for a start, totaling six earned runs in 6+13 innings. He made one appearance in the American League Championship Series, allowing two earned runs in four innings. Game 1 of the World Series for the Red Sox was played at Fenway Park on October 23, 2012. In a no decision, he pitched four innings, giving up three runs on five hits and striking out seven out seven runs. The Red Sox went on to win the game 8–4. Sale gained notoriety for yelling at his teammates in the dugout during Game 4, deterring them from producing any offense (the team had only one hit through the first six innings). The Red Sox won 9–6, taking a three-game lead in the series. For the first time in Game 5, Sale defeated Manny Machado in a series of inning, with a series-ending strike. In 15+1/3 innings, he allowed seven earned runs while striking out 24 batters for 15 runs.

Sale completed a five-year, $145 million contract extension with the Red Sox on March 23, 2019. With the new deal extending 2020 to 2025, a vesting option was granted to 2025 for those who were not eligible. Sale has been named as Boston's starting pitcher for 2019 Opening Day by manager Alex Cora. Sale began the season 0–4 with an 8.50 ERA, a feat he characterized as "flat-out embarrassing." For the first time in his career, Sale threw out three straight Orioles batters on a total of nine runs on May 8. Sale struck out 17 batters, a new career record, after seven innings, but there was no decision after Boston lost in extra innings. On June 5, he pitched his second immaculate inning in a complete game shutout against Kansas City, striking out 12. Sale made his 2,000th strike out of his major league career on August 13, his fewest innings needed to accomplish the feat in MLB history. On August 17, Sale was put on the 10-day injured list due to left elbow inflammation, which was retroactive to August 14. After speaking with James Andrews on August 19, it was found that Sale did not need surgery; however, the inflammation in his elbow had been anticipated to end his season. The Red Sox drafted him to the 60-day injured list on September 1, the Red Sox's first-day hospitalization list. Sale had a 6–11 record and 218 strikeouts in 147+13 innings for the 2019 season. He had 14 games with 10+ strikeouts, including a stretch from April 21 to June 26, when he had 10+ strikeouts in ten of 13 starts.

Due to his progress in spring training being hampered by pneumonia, Red Sox boss Ron Roenicke said on February 27, 2020, that Sale will not be ready for Opening Day. Due to coronavirus pandemic concerns, the season was postponed two weeks. The sale announced on March 19 that Tommy John surgery would be performed, effectively ending his 2020 season. The Red Sox announced on March 30 that Sale successfully underwent the surgery, which was performed in Los Angeles. The team was injured on June 28, days before returning to preseason training, and Sale was on the 45-day injured list (reduced from 60-days for 2020).

"Is That Pitcher's Surgery Really Important?" The New York Times' article says. "" columnist Tyler Kepner wrote about the Tommy John surgery of both Sale and Noah Syndergaard in a period when the coronavirus pandemic had caused federal, state, and local authorities to limit medical services to essential services only. After Andrews suspended all non-emergency medical services in Florida in violation of Florida's coronavirus pandemic laws, Sale, who had been receiving Andrews at his Florida clinic, underwent surgery at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

On February 18, 2021, Sale was put on the 60-day injured list as he began to recover from Tommy John surgery. In January, he later reported that he had "a mild case" of COVID-19. For the first time since 2019, Sale held a practice session in the bullpen at Fenway Park on June 8. On July 15, the team resigned Sale to the Florida Complex League (FCL) for a rehabilitation assignment. On July 15, he pitched three innings for the FCL Red Sox, allowing no runs on four hits while striking out five batters. On July 20, the team sent him to Double-A for a rehabilitation stint, where he pitched 3+2/3 innings for the Portland Sea Dogs without losing a single single hit. He then pitched in Triple-A for the Worcester Red Sox. On August 14, Sale was activated to Boston's active roster for the first time against the Orioles. Sale's third inning of his career came against Minnesota on August 26. He tied for the most major-league immaculate innings cast by Sandy Koufax. Due to a positive result, Sale was put on the COVID-related wounded list on September 10; he rejoined the team on September 17. Sale made nine starts for Boston this season, raising the batsman to a 5–1 record and striking out 52 batters in 42+223 innings. Sale got off to a winning streak and allowing ten runs (eight earned) in nine innings as the Red Sox advanced to the American League Championship Series in the postseason.

Sale suffered a right rib injury while throwing batting practice at Florida Gulf Coast University in February. He had been on the 60-day injured list before the regular season. Sale pitched for the Portland Sea Dogs in a rehabilitation assignment on July 1, allowing one run on four hits in four innings and striking out seven batters. On July 7, Sale was caught decomposing merchandise in the dugout tunnel after he had issued five walks and allowed one run to run in 3+2/3 innings during a rehab start in Triple-A. After allowing no runs on three hits in five innings, he returned to Boston's lineup on July 12, receiving a no decision. After being struck by Aaron Hicks' line drive, he suffered a left fifth-finger fracture on July 17. The next day, a sale underwent surgery that involved open reduction and internal fixation. He was officially admitted to the injured list on July 22. Sale broke his right wrist while riding his bike to grab lunch on August 6, capping his season. The Red Sox's Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom said that anyone with a "Chris Sale voodoo doll" had to find him, referring to his list of injuries since the 2019 season. Sale ran an 0–1 record for the 2022 Red Sox, knocking out five batters in 5+2/3 innings in two starts.

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