Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale capped off his run in spring training on Sunday when he threw five innings against the Minnesota Twins at JetBlue Park.
Given the injury-related frustrations Sale faced the last few years, the fact the left-hander made it through the spring healthy is no small feat. Sale understands that as well as anyone.
So while talking with NESN’s Jahmai Webster after finishing his five innings, Sale couldn’t help but serve up a humorous self-own, poking fun at his recent string of injuries and bad luck.
“Yeah, I just got to drive home safe,” Sale said with a laugh when asked how it feels to make it through healthy, as seen on NESN.
“But it’s good. I appreciate being here and everybody that got me here,” Sale continued. “There’s a lot of work that went into this, not only for myself but my teammates and everybody behind the scenes. The coaching staff, training staff, strength coaches, everybody.”
Sale was limited to just 5 2/3 innings in 2022 after he broke his wrist in a bicycle accident in August. Sale already was on the injured list with a broken pinkie, which came merely two outs into his second start of the season in mid-July.
“I’m just appreciative of the opportunity I have being able to have this spring training and get through it, and actually not just get through it but actually excel through it,” Sale told Webster. “And finish strong and be really prepared for the start of the season.”
Sale is expected to take the mound at Fenway Park on Saturday in Boston’s second game of the season against the Baltimore Orioles. Corey Kluber will get the ball on Opening Day on Thursday.
