Chris Sale knew at some point he’d need to have Tommy John surgery after having an injury-riddled 2019 Major League Baseball season.
That time came in March, but could have come even sooner.
The Boston Red Sox pitcher spoke to reporters Thursday and revealed, “in hindsight” the operation should have happened in 2019, but he wanted to give his other options a “real chance.”
“We gave it a real chance,” Sale told reporters during a Zoom press conference. “Last year, in hindsight, I should’ve got Tommy John surgery on Aug. 14, 2019. But that’s just not how this game goes. That’s not how life works. It’s, ‘Hey, there are other options, let’s explore that.’ And I swear to you on everything I love, I thought I was in the clear. I really did.
“I was throwing as hard as I could. I was snapping off breaking balls. Spring training bullpens, everything was fine. You can ask guys. I wasn’t hurting. Everything was coming out fine. Everything was good.”
And even still, Sale wouldn’t change a thing about how it went down.
“So I wouldn’t change any of that because I would have more questions now because I didn’t. If you just get Tommy John just to get Tommy John, I would question myself a lot,” he said. “Now I have no questions. Now I definitely know this was the route I had to go and I’m cool with that. I sleep fine at night.”
Sale certainly is missed this season. But we’re hopeful he’ll be ready to go during the 2021 campaign.
