Chris Sale is one of the biggest bargains in Major League Baseball, yet the thought of landing a huge payday with his next contract is the furthest thing from the Boston Red Sox ace’s mind.
Sale, who signed a five-year, $32.5 million contract with the Chicago White Sox in 2013, will earn $12.5 million with the Red Sox in 2018. Boston then holds a $15 million team option for 2019, after which the left-hander can become a free agent ahead of his age-31 season.
No matter how you slice it, Sale has been underpaid in relation to his performance. But when asked about his next contract Tuesday on WEEI’s “Kirk and Callahan,” Sale was very blunt in describing his primary focus.
“No. I am on the team this year, aren’t I?” he asked, per WEEI.com.
“I don’t worry about that crap, honestly,” Sale added. “I have one thing to do, right? Play baseball. Pitch. Be a good teammate. Those are all kind of all wrapped into one thing as what I am as a pitcher. I am not an agent. I am not an owner. I am not a general manager, so I know basically nothing about contracts. If and when that happens, all of them can take care of that. I am worried about baseball.”
Sale, who was traded to Boston before last season, has finished in the top six in Cy Young voting each of the last six seasons, including a second-place finish in 2017. The Red Sox could explore a contract extension with the southpaw before he hits the open market, but don’t expect to hear too much about that possibility in the coming months as Sale looks to build on an impressive first season with Boston.
