Chris Sale Update: Red Sox Pitcher Gets Good News On Shoulder Injury

Good news has been hard to come by for the Red Sox this week, but the latest development regarding pitcher Chris Sale is a positive one.

Sale has resumed throwing after getting encouraging results from a recent MRI on his injured throwing shoulder, he told reporters Thursday prior to Boston’s game at Fenway Park.

There isn’t any timetable yet on a potential return.

Chris Sale says his MRI today came back clean and he’s resumed his throwing. Says he’s threw a baseball for the first time in 4 weeks. “I’m in a pretty good mood today.”

— Jahmai Webster (@WebsterOnTV) June 29, 2023

Still, given the situation, it’s a positive development for Sale and the Red Sox. Shoulder injuries are unpredictable, and it wouldn’t have been surprising to see this end Sale’s season. For now, though, it seems like there’s a chance he returns this summer.

Sale hasn’t pitched since June 1 against the Cincinnati Reds. The left-hander entered that game finally looking like his former self after numerous injuries over the last three years. Sale had allowed just eight runs in 32 1/3 innings over his previous five starts while striking out 35 and walking just four — before leaving that start against the Reds with the shoulder issue.

The club eventually moved Sale to the 60-day injured list due to a stress reaction in his left scapula, shutting him down until this week. Obviously, with Sale being on the 60-day, he’s not eligible to return for another month, but if he were able to get back for August, that could be a big win for the Sox.

Boston sure could use the help sooner than later. The Red Sox officially hit the season’s halfway point Wednesday night with a loss to the Miami Marlins. It marked the club’s fourth straight defeat, dropping Alex Cora’s club to below .500 for the first time in two weeks.

The division is almost certainly a pipe dream at this point, but despite the recent skid, the Red Sox are just four games out of a wild-card spot. If they could tread water until the end of July, perhaps they could hang around down the stretch, which would make a potential Sale return even more important.