Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale might play an unfamiliar role when he returns to action.
Red Sox pitching coach Dave Bush told The Boston Globe's Alex Speier Boston hasn't ruled out using Sale as a relief pitcher in order to speed up his recovery from the stress fracture he suffered earlier this year. Sale has resumed throwing bullpen sessions, following recent setback, and the Red Sox will build up his workload with hopes of activating him from the Injured List next month.
Speier wrote Sale likely will return to the rotation in mid-July and asked Bush whether the Red Sox would consider using the lefty out of the bullpen to prime his body for his eventual comeback at the front of the rotation.
"I don't have an answer ... We haven't gotten that far yet," Bush told Speier. "Once he is facing hitters and building up his innings, then we'll have a deeper discussion about what role he can handle and what suits him and us best at that point in time. There's a lot of factors that we still don't know."
Sale still has several steps to take in his recovery, including throwing in simulated games and perhaps against live opponents in the minor leagues.
The Red Sox likely will keep their options open from there and decide on a course of action that meets their and Sale's short-, medium- and long-term goals.
