The last few years of Chris Sale’s career have been challenging, but everything appears to be normal for the Red Sox ace as he prepares for 2023.
Well, almost everything.
Sale, who has been a steady presence in the Red Sox clubhouse throughout the spring, told a story on NESN’s spring training coverage Saturday that is bound to cook up some t-shirt ideas around Boston.
“There’s no doubt, he was the top dog when I got there,” Sale said of Richard Bleier, who was a teammate of his at Florida Gulf Coast University. “We were roommates on the road and he may or may not have made me sleep in the bathtub one night. So, yeah, it’s fun to tell stories and catch up. I love Bleier.”
Bleier and Sale had tremendous seasons in 2008, the only one that they overlapped at FGCU. The two combined to go 9-1 with a 2.38 ERA and 117 strikeouts over the course of 124 2/3 innings.
The two went their separate ways over the last 15 years, but were reunited when the Red Sox traded for Bleier this offseason.
Sale is taking part in spring training without many limitations, marking the first time he’s been able to do that in four years. The 33-year-old is ramping things up so he can be available to the Red Sox shortly after Opening Day on March 30 against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park.
