Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora and Chris Sale were in sync when it came to their thoughts about the pitcher's outing Thursday against the Detroit Tigers.
"I think he finished strong the outing," Cora told reporters following Boston's 6-3 win at Comerica Park, as seen on NESN postgame coverage. "Step in the right direction."
"Definitely a step in the right direction," Sale told reporters, as seen on NESN postgame coverage. "Made some pitches when I had to."
The left-handed hurled needed a bounce-back performance after a clunker of a showing in his season debut last week -- he gave up seven runs in three innings to the Baltimore Orioles -- and mostly got it. Sale got off to an uncharacteristic start, though, throwing eight straight balls to the first two batters he faced, which prompted Cora to use a "Dodgeball" reference when Sale made his way back to the dugout after getting out of the stanza unscathed.
Aside from surrendering a two-run homer to Jake Rogers in the second inning and allowing another run to cross the plate in the third, Sale pretty much settled in. He went five innings, including striking out the side in his final frame, in which he let up three runs on four hits while fanning seven and walking three. He ended up getting the win, which was his first since September of 2021.
"He battled through it and toward the end, I think he was more sound as far as his mechanics," Cora said.
Cora understands the enormous expectations that are on Sale, who is trying to show he can recapture his seven-time All-Star form after making just 11 starts the previous three seasons.
Sale hasn't been stellar yet in his first two starts, but did his job to at least get the arrow pointing up as he heads into his third start next week against the Tampa Bay Rays.
"It's all a work in progress, right?" Sale said. "In the heat of battle, you're just grinding. You're trying to get outs whatever way you can."
