Chris Sale would like a word with Bryce Harper.
Not because anything bad happened, but because the Philadelphia Phillies star recovered incredibly quickly from Tommy John surgery.
Harper played in his first home game Friday night against the Boston Red Sox since undergoing the operation five months ago. In most cases, it takes at least 12 months to fully recover from Tommy John, but recovery has been quicker for position players than pitchers. Still, five months is a miraculous turnaround.
Sale also underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020. He faced a few setbacks and endured other injuries along the way that essentially kept him sidelined for three seasons. But the lefty is fully healthy and has been working his way back to vintage Sale in his first few starts of the 2023 season.
Sale looked strong Friday, striking out 10 in the Red Sox’s 5-3 win over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. It wasn’t a perfect outing, but he was throwing 99 mph to Harper. After the game, Sale said he’d like to chat with Harper because he’s “making us look bad.”
“I want to talk to him about that. He’s making us look bad. But good on him,” Sale told reporters after the game, per The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham. “Good on their staff. You don’t get in that position without working your ass off. I have a lot of respect for him.”
Harper finished 1-for-4 with a run, but it wasn’t enough for Philly as the Red Sox extended their win streak to seven straight games.
The two sides continue their series Saturday night. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. ET.
