Relieved Chris Sale Is OK, Rick Porcello Wants To Know ‘When The Hell’ He’ll Pitch

Rick Porcello and his Boston Red Sox teammates were worried about Chris Sale, and why wouldn’t they be?

The Red Sox left-hander was hospitalized over the weekend with a mystery ailment the team would only describe as a stomach illness. According to Porcello, his own teammates didn’t know the whole story, either, putting their World Series push on the back burner if only for a second or two — at least until they learned more about Sale.

“And it’s crazy to say, because these are some of the biggest baseball games of our lives, but somebody goes to the hospital, who really cares about what game he’s starting or anything like that? We just are worried about him and his well-being,” Porcello told reporters Tuesday in Houston ahead of Game 3 of the American League Championship Series, which the Red Sox went on to win.

Porcello said the Red Sox could only wait and see to what happened with Sale, but once they found out he was OK, which Porcello said was “the most important thing,” their thoughts quickly shifted back to baseball.

“And now that we know that he’s OK, when the hell is he going to pitch?” Porcello quipped.

It’s a great question that no one can answer yet. Sale has since rejoined the club in Houston, and manager Alex Cora indicated Sale will likely throw a bullpen session Wednesday. The Red Sox ace seemingly was lined up to pitch Game 5, but if he’s not feeling well enough to go, obviously Boston would have to reshuffle some things.

Porcello, who pitched out of the bullpen in Game 2, will start Game 4 in Houston with hopes of giving the Red Sox a 3-1 series lead.