Chris Sale is back.
The Boston Red Sox’s ace had struggled over his past seven starts coming into Wednesday, but he returned to his dominant form in the Red Sox’s 9-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
Sale tossed eight shutout innings, allowing four hits and striking out 13 batters. In doing so, Sale became the second member of the Red Sox to reach the 300-strikeout mark in a single season, joining Pedro Martinez, who achieved the feat in 1999 by striking out 313 batters.
“That’s special,” Sale said, as seen on NESN’s Red Sox postgame coverage. “We all know that’s about as good a company as you can get. Just appreciative of it. It’s fun. Being here and having that name thrown around is special to me. I don’t take it lightly. He’s one of the best to ever step on that mound. To be in the same sentence as him is pretty crazy to me.”
Sale’s eighth-inning strikeout of Ryan Flaherty also showed how dominant he’s been away from Fenway Park.
He also became the fourth pitcher since 1900 to record 300 Ks in his first season with a new team.
Wednesday’s dominant start was another in what has been a brilliant season for Sale, one that should end with him earning the American League Cy Young Award.
Sale now is 17-7 with a 2.75 ERA and 0.95 WHIP. He has 300 strikeouts to just 41 walks in 209 1/3 innings pitched. Sale also entered Wednesday’s game averaging 107.5 pitchers per outing, the highest mark in Major League Baseball.
The lefty is averaging 12.92 K/9, 1.77 BB/9 and has a 2.22 FIP with an 8.2 WAR.
His closest competitor for the award, Cleveland Indians ace Corey Kluber, also has 17 wins and has Sale beat in ERA (2.35) and WHIP (0.85). But Boston’s ace owns the advantage in the remaining categories.
And let’s talk about Sale’s 300 strikeouts.
Sale has struck out 166 different batters at least one time, with New York Yankees star Aaron Judge and Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Steven Souza Jr. leading the pack at 10 Ks apiece.
The left-hander also has recorded the K in a variety of ways this season.
Sale wanted to come to Boston to pitch in the postseason for the first time in his career, and he should get that chance, as the Sox clinched at least a share of a wild-card spot with their win Wednesday and will clinch a berth with a loss by the Los Angeles Angels.
The left-hander has been better than advertised in his first season with the Red Sox. And as the calendar flips to October, Sale and the Sox will have the chance to earn more than the Cy Young Award that already should have his name on it.
Let’s take a look at more notes from Red Sox-Orioles.
— Sale joined another impressive list Wednesday.
— It was dress up day for the Red Sox’s rookies.
Thumbnail photo via Patrick McDermott/USA TODAY Sports Images
