Red Sox Pick Up Chris Sale’s Contract Option For 2019 MLB Season

The Boston Red Sox on Tuesday exercised Chris Sale’s contract option for the 2019 Major League Baseball season.

The news comes as no surprise, with Sale posting another All-Star campaign for the World Series champion Red Sox in 2018. The left-hander is set to become a free agent next offseason.

Sale will earn $15 million in 2019, according to Baseball Prospectus, although his salary could increase to $16 million if he wins the 2018 American League Cy Young Award — something that’s possible given his production this season despite spending time on the disabled list.

Sale went 12-4 with a 2.11 ERA, an 0.86 WHIP and 237 strikeouts in 158 innings across 27 starts in 2018. He went 1-0 with a 4.11 ERA over 15 1/3 innings in five postseason appearances (three starts).

Sale, acquired from the Chicago White Sox before the 2017 season, has been named an All-Star in each of the last seven years. The 29-year-old is the only pitcher ever to start multiple All-Star Games as a member of the Red Sox.