The recent off days ended up benefitting the Red Sox in terms of how much time Chris Sale would miss after testing positive for COVID-19.
Alex Cora confirmed the left-hander indeed will start for Boston on Friday when it opens its final homestand of the season at Fenway Park against the Baltimore Orioles.
“I don’t expect him to have a pitch limit or innings,” Cora said over Zoom. “It’s just a matter of how he feels.”
Sale missed only one start and looks to bounce back from his shortest outing since returning from Tommy John surgery.
Cora also revealed a four-man rotation for their upcoming games. Sale will go Friday, with Nick Pivetta, Nate Eovaldi and Eduardo Rodriguez following him. Of course, that leaves out Tanner Houck, who has struggled getting through batting orders the third time around. It appears the right-hander will head to the bullpen after Cora noted he should be available Saturday.
First pitch in Friday’s Red Sox-Orioles series opener is set for 7:10 p.m. ET.
