Despite the Red Sox turning in a record-breaking regular season, there still are some question marks surrounding Boston ahead of its playoff opener.
Chris Sale is set to get the ball for the Sox when they take the field for Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Friday night at Fenway Park. While the left-hander largely has been dominant this season, his recent starts have left Boston fans a bit worried about the team’s ace.
The Red Sox took it slow with Sale upon his latest return from the disabled list, and the southpaw struggled a bit with his mechanics while also suffering a noticeable dip in his velocity. But even if Sale isn’t lighting up the radar gun when the Sox kick off their postseason run, his manager won’t be concerned.
Alex Cora makes a great point. While Sale’s blazing fastball arguably is his best asset, he’s not exclusively dependent on the heater. Sale typically has great command of all of his other pitches, including his devastating slider, as the Red Sox skipper noted.
As such, the Red Sox will be depending on Sale to log a quality start Friday night, regardless of his velocity. If not, Boston will be forced to turn to its bullpen, which undoubtedly is the team’s greatest area of concern for the postseason.
