Chris Sale is taking things day to day these days.
Appearing on the Greg Hill Show Friday morning, the Red Sox pitcher talked extensively about his recovery from Tommy John surgery -- revealing that his throwing will move back to 90 feet Saturday. The theme was persistence and patience.
But that doesn't mean Sale isn't looking ahead somewhat.
When asked if he wanted to retire as a member of the Red Sox, the 31-year-old was definitive in his response.
"One hundred percent," Sale said. "I have nowhere else to go. I have nowhere else to be. This place is top-notch. They’re unbelievable. I like it here. I love it here. I feel comfortable here. They take care of me. They take care of my family. And we win. Check the books, man. Check the books. We win. That’s what we’re here to do and that’s what we do a lot of. I would like to get back to that."
The proclamation is the first hint toward Sale's way of thinking when it comes to his opt-out option in his current contract, which allows him to become a free agent after the 2022 season.
Sale is scheduled to be paid $30 million in 2021 and 2022 (although $50 million of his five-year, $145 million contract is deferred). He does not opt-out the lefty is slated to make $27.5 million in 2023 and 2024, with a $20 million club option for 2025.
How long will Sale play for? Well, when it comes to athletes and longevity, Tom Brady's name is usually going to come up.
Brady was first surfaced in the interview thanks to J.D. Martinez's t-shirt, that showed a the quarterback "celebrating" his recent Super Bowl championship.
"He didn’t and I’m a little upset about that," Sale said when asked if Martinez gave him one of the shirts. "That’s a pro shirt. I saw that … Good on J.D. and good on Tom Brady, too. That was fun to see."
As for trying to emulate the 43-year-old quarterback ...
"To do what Tom Brady does at that age, and what he has done, that will be hard to replicate," the pitcher said. "It’s hard not to be in awe of what he does and be inspired to be that. … I don’t know how many years ... I don’t don’t know if I’m going to be able to get there."