Chris Sale Raves About Red Sox, Excited For 'Jolt' Of Pitching At Fenway

About 24 hours ago, Chris Sale was on a team that hadn’t made the playoffs in eight years. Now, his presence on the Red Sox makes Boston a legitimate World Series contender in 2017.

Needless to say, the All-Star left-hander seems pretty enthused about the trade that sent him from the Chicago White Sox to Boston in exchange for four prospects.

“You’re talking about one of the greatest baseball franchises ever,” the Red Sox’s newest addition said in conference call with media Wednesday morning. “… I’m as excited as anybody, honestly. I don’t know how you couldn’t be. You’re a perennial runner for making the playoffs and have a realistic chance of winning a World Series.”

“I think the group of guys — I’ve always heard great things about the guys on this team and the front office, and you have dedicated ownership and front office guys to winning, and winning annually.”

But the Red Sox are more than an on-field fit for Sale. The 27-year-old played college ball at Florida Gulf Coast and lives in Southwest Florida, very close to Boston’s spring training headquarters in Fort Myers. That means more time to spend with his family, which, as it turns out, is welcoming a new member.

“My wife is a couple weeks away from delivering our second son,” Sale revealed. “We’re having another baby, so that helps us out tremendously.”

Sale also is excited to head north once the regular season begins.

“I’ve always loved going to Boston, pitching in Boston,” he said. “It’s a trip that my wife comes on every year, as well. So, we both really like the city and the stadium obviously is a very special place.”

Beyond the city itself, Sale is looking forward to pitching at Fenway Park. The White Sox ranked 26th in attendance last season with an average crowd of under 22,000, but in Boston, the five-time All-Star will pitch in front of regular sellouts of nearly 38,000 fans. And Sale is ready to feed off Fenway’s unique atmosphere.

“I’m a firm believer of, energy can be created in ballparks,” Sale said. “I don’t think there’s any question about that. You have a packed house and everybody’s on their feet and they’re screaming in the eighth inning — there’s no doubt that that gives every player on either side a little bit of a jolt. So, that will be very, very exciting.”

Sale will be appointment viewing in a stacked rotation that also features David Price and Rick Porcello. Expectations will be high, but after four consecutive losing seasons in Chicago, he appears more than ready for the challenge.

“You look at the talent on this team as a whole — not only just the pitching staff, but as a whole,” Sale said. “I think obviously having a veteran leader — and one of the best in the game — in (Dustin) Pedroia leading the charge, you can’t ask for much more.

“… There’s no reason not be excited right now.”