A sight for sore eyes has returned to the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field on Tuesday.
After spending some time hanging out in the dugout, Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale officially was activated and is set to take the mound against Corey Kluber and the Tampa Bay Rays for his 2022 season debut.
The lanky left-hander suffered a fractured rib prior to spring training and then a setback for an undisclosed "small personal medical issue" in May. After some rehab assignments that were up and down at best, Sale is back. Given the state of the Red Sox rotation, his presence is as important as ever.
In a corresponding move, the Red Sox sent down top pitching prospect Brayan Bello, who showed flashes of his potential but failed to make a lasting impression in two big league starts. He'll have plenty of time to reach his ceiling in the future, but for now, it's time for the right-hander to continue his development in Triple-A Worcester.
The Red Sox will take on the Rays at Tropicana Field on Tuesday night for the second game of a four-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET following an hour of pregame coverage, and you can watch it all on NESN.
