For 5 years Chris Sale simply couldn’t catch a break. Lengthy one of the vital dominant pitchers within the majors, the previous Crimson Sox ace suffered one damage setback after one other, every seemingly weirder than the final.
After getting solely 31 begins from Sale within the first 4 years of his five-year, $145 million contact extension, the Crimson Sox lastly pulled the plug this previous offseason, buying and selling the large left-hander to the Atlanta Braves.
It felt on the time just like the Crimson Sox have been maximizing the worth of a depressed asset, one whose finest days have been lengthy within the rearview mirror. However then, one thing surprising occurred.
The outdated Chris Sale lastly reemerged.
Sale, now 35, is having fun with a profession renaissance with the Braves, and as of this writing he’s the betting favourite to win his first profession Cy Younger Award. He’s presently 17-3 with a 2.35 ERA and 219 strikeouts in 172.2 innings, and he led or tied for the MLB lead in wins, ERA, strikeouts, WAR for pitchers (6.3) and strikeouts per 9 inning (11.4).
If he does win the Nationwide League Cy Younger Award, will probably be the primary of his profession, an extended overdue honor for a pitcher who completed top-six within the voting seven straight years between 2012-18.
Sale’s renewed success is a improbable story and a testomony to his perseverance. Between Tommy John surgical procedure, the stress fracture in his rib, the damaged pinkie suffered after getting hit by a line drive, the bicycle accident that resulted in a damaged wrist and at last the stress response in his shoulder blade, Sale spent numerous darkish days within the coach’s room hoping at some point he couldn’t solely get again on the sector, however keep there.
It’s additionally bittersweet for the Crimson Sox, who waited and waited for the outdated Sale solely to see him lastly return in one other crew’s uniform. It doesn’t assist that no matter curse seemingly him in Boston has transferred to his successors. Vaughn Grissom, the 23-year-old infielder acquired in trade for Sale, has dealt along with his personal run of accidents since becoming a member of the group. Lucas Giolito, signed as a free agent the identical weekend Sale was traded and his de facto alternative within the rotation, went down with a season-ending elbow damage throughout spring coaching.
Over the long term, this season might additionally revive Sale’s possibilities of at some point being inducted into the Baseball Corridor of Fame.
There’s little question Sale is among the finest pitchers of his period, however earlier than this season he seemingly wouldn’t have had the longevity wanted to place him over the hump. Now, along with his monster peak and the 2018 World Collection championship, Sale has a second apex and probably a Cy Younger Award, accomplishments that might make it simpler for voters to forgive the five-year downturn.
He’s additionally now one in all simply 22 beginning pitchers in MLB historical past to earn eight All-Star nods. The entire others are both within the Corridor of Fame, might be as soon as eligible, or would have been if not for steroid-related issues.
Even by trendy requirements Sale’s counting stats aren’t going to be something particular, however in a time the place starters pitch fewer innings, earn fewer wins and accrue smaller totals than their predecessors from previous eras, Sale’s modest report and innings totals is probably not the dealbreakers they could have as soon as been.
Plus, if he’s in a position to pitch successfully for an additional two or three years, Sale’s closing totals might wind up akin to the late Corridor of Famer Roy Halladay, who retired with a 194-98 report, 3.36 ERA, 2,586 innings, 2,022 strikeouts and 62.4 WAR. Sale presently has a 137-83 report, 3.04 ERA, 1,953.1 innings, 2,408 strikeouts and 53.4 WAR.
Because of a two-year contract extension signed shortly after he was dealt to Atlanta — a dangerous choice by the Braves that has paid off handsomely — Sale will stay below crew management by means of the tip of 2026. There’s little question the deal has been a convincing win for Atlanta, who gained’t have any regrets even when Grissom bounces again and turns into a long-term stalwart in Boston, and now the Braves will stand to profit as Sale appears to increase his second act and end his profession on a excessive observe.
And after that, Cooperstown could await.
One other no-no bid for Francis
Final month Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Bowden Francis got here inside three outs of throwing a no-hitter towards the Los Angeles Angels earlier than seeing his bid fall brief within the ninth inning. His subsequent outing, he carried one other no-hit bid into the sixth inning towards the Crimson Sox at Fenway Park, in the end permitting one hit over seven shutout innings.
This previous Wednesday, he virtually pulled it off once more.
Dealing with the New York Mets, the 28-year-old carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning as soon as once more earlier than shedding the bid on a house run by Francisco Lindor. It was the third time in 4 begins Francis allowed one hit over seven or extra innings, and the second time he carried a no-no bid into the ninth.
In response to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs, Francis is the one pitcher with a number of no-hit bids of eight-plus innings inside his first 11 MLB begins since 1961, and he’s additionally one in all simply 4 pitchers to lose a number of no-hit bids within the ninth in the identical season, the others being Nolan Ryan in 1989, Dave Stieb in 1988 and Ed Walsh in 1906.
Bowden Francis is the one pitcher with a number of no-hit bids of 8+ innings inside his first 11 profession begins within the majors, in not less than the growth period (since 1961)
h/t @EliasSports + @Spokes_Murphy
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) September 11, 2024
Not unhealthy for a man who has spent many of the season as a reliever.
A starter within the minors who primarily pitched out of the bullpen in his first two seasons within the majors, Francis was inserted into the Blue Jays rotation full-time in early August and has made essentially the most of his alternative. Over seven begins since Aug. 7 he has posted a 1.50 ERA with 46 strikeouts and solely 5 walks over 48 innings, and opposing batters are hitting solely .101 over that stretch.
In a season the place nearly all the things has gone flawed for Toronto, Bowden’s emergence has been a notable shiny spot.
Ohtani approaching 50-50
What extra can we are saying about Shohei Ohtani? Even in a yr the place he isn’t pitching whereas he recovers from elbow surgical procedure, the two-time MVP remains to be discovering methods to perform issues no one has ever seen.
Ohtani is on the verge of changing into the primary participant in MLB historical past to hit 50 house runs and report 50 stolen bases in a season, an accomplishment that can seemingly additionally assist internet him his third MVP award, which might be the primary by a participant who’s primarily a chosen hitter.
As of this writing Ohtani is as much as 47 house runs and 48 stolen bases, which is already the best whole {that a} participant has reached in each classes in a single-season. The earlier excessive was 42, which Alex Rodriguez reached in the course of the 1998 season through which he hit 42 homers and stole 46 bases.
Past these historic totals, Ohtani can also be batting .290 with 166 hits, 104 RBI, 116 runs scored, a .985 OPS and seven.3 WAR, all of which rank among the many finest in baseball. Secure to say the Dodgers have gotten their cash’s price by means of the primary yr of Ohtani’s new deal.
WooSox voice employed by Knicks
Huge congratulations to Worcester Crimson Sox play-by-play man Tyler Murray, who has been employed as the brand new radio voice of the New York Knicks. The 34-year-old, who was born in Connecticut and grew up in Medfield, has served as a WooSox broadcaster since 2022 whereas additionally filling in on WEEI’s Crimson Sox broadcasts, and now he’ll get to name video games for the crew he’s rooted for since childhood.
“I’ve dreamed of calling Knicks video games for so long as I can keep in mind, so my household and I couldn’t be extra excited,” Murray mentioned. “It’s an honor to affix MSG Networks, and to characterize everybody who has lifted me up alongside the way in which.”
Murray is now the thirteenth former full-time PawSox/WooSox broadcaster presently working in MLB, the NFL or the NBA. Among the many others are Gary Cohen (New York Mets), Don Orsillo (San Diego Padres), Bob Socci (New England Patriots), Will Flemming (Boston Crimson Sox), David Flemming (San Francisco Giants), Mike Monaco (ESPN and Boston Crimson Sox), Jeff Levering and Josh Maurer (each Milwaukee Brewers).
He did what?
Baseball generally is a grind, and lots of gamers would most likely admit privately that the tip of the season generally is a aid. However in accordance with a report by ESPN, one Minnesota Twins minor leaguer was so over the season that he deliberately sabotaged his personal crew’s possibilities of making the playoffs.
In response to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan, the Twins launched minor league catcher Derek Bender on Thursday after he instructed opposing hitters the kinds of pitches that have been coming in a recreation that in the end eradicated his crew from playoff competition. The incident reportedly occurred within the second recreation of a Sept. 6 doubleheader involving the Twins’ and Detroit Tigers’ Low-A associates, the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels and Lakeland Flying Tigers, and Lakeland scored 4 runs within the second inning earlier than successful 6-0 to clinch the Florida State League West division title
Fort Myers coaches have been reportedly notified by Lakeland coaches in regards to the pitch-tipping after the sport, and Bender had reportedly instructed teammates he wished the season to be over.
Bender was a sixth-round draft pick of Coastal Carolina this previous July. He appeared in 19 video games for Fort Myers and batted .200 with two house runs, eight RBI and a .606 OPS.