Chris Sale Clearly Appreciated This Uncommon Gesture From Alex Cora
Sale noted how the Red Sox manager heard him out during a fifth-inning visit
Typically, when Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora walks out of the dugout and approaches the mound, it’s because he’s about to take the ball from the pitcher.
That wasn’t the case during the fifth inning of Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Royals, though. Instead, Cora allowed Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale to plead his case on why he should remain in the game.
“He convinced me,” Cora told reporters after Boston’s 7-3 victory at Kauffman Stadium, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage.
Sale clearly appreciated the fact Cora not only heard what the veteran southpaw had to say, but ultimately stood by the decision.
“Obviously, you want to finish what you started and just getting through that was going to be big for me and he (Cora) gave me some words of encouragement, to say the least,” Sale told reporters with a smirk, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage.
“For me, it’s just, AC coming out there and letting me give him a couple words before he goes straight to the bullpen,” Sale said. “Also, if I tell him I’m going to do something for him, you got to do it. So just kind of emptied the tank there at that point.”
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Following the mound visit with Cora, Sale threw two of his hardest pitches on the day (94, 96) before his third pitch to Maikel Garcia was an 81-mph slider. Garcia grounded out to end the inning, and ultimately end the day for Sale.
Sale threw 100 pitches during five full innings of work. Unfortunately for the Red Sox, that isn’t something they have grown overly familiar with in recent weeks.
Cora and company surely hope Sale’s performance will go a long way for the ballclub. Much like the confidence from his manager went a long way with Sale.
