As if the concern hadn't gained enough momentum since that start on the second day of the Red Sox' season, it really started kicking into overdrive after Chris Sale's first eight pitches Thursday.
Eight pitches. Eight balls. Plenty of panic.
But then came three straight strikeouts, and, ultimately, a step in the right direction for both the pitcher and his team. Five innings, three runs and Sale's first win since Sept. 22, 2021 all came within the Red Sox' 6-3 victory over the Tigers.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever thrown eight straight balls in my life,” Sale told reporters. “That was definitely interesting. Credit to the mound visit, I got three punches after that.”
“They said something like, ‘That’s an interesting strategy,’” noted Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “He was close to the strike zone, just missing. He made some adjustments throughout.”
So, with the Red Sox riding out their off day in Detroit Friday, it offers some time to soak in what the latest of Sale image means.
Almost all of the behind-the-curtain measureables were down in this latest outing, with the fastball averaging 91.5 mph (topping out at 95 mph), with his spin rate for each of his pitches taking a dip (according to BaseballSavant.com).
Baseball Savant
Baseball Savant
But all of that doesn't mean there isn't something there the Red Sox should be latching on to going forward.
There is a reason why Sale has struck out 13 batters in eight innings, with a few specific examples popping up at Comerica Park.
The outing won't exactly extinguish the contract conversation when it comes to Sale. There is a long way to go before that narrative does a U-turn. But the promise that has come with the back-to-back rebounds from Corey Kluber and Sale were undoubtedly steps in the right direction for a Red Sox team that desperately is looking for bits and pieces of April optimism.
Since Sale joined the Red Sox, they are now 47-17 when the lefty goings five or more innings while giving up three or fewer runs. And when he pitches, they are 59-38 (even 9-4 since 2021).
Thursday didn't exactly define the discussion, but it did offer a reminder of what might be ... and how important it can be.
“My command was spotty today, but I think it was some mechanical things I was doing to put myself in those situations,” Sale told reporteres. “(Cora) handed me an iPad and said, ‘This is you, watch this at-bat. This is who you are.’ Then [pitching coach Dave Bush] came up and gave me a couple things, ‘Hey, just staying back a little bit longer, not getting too quick.’
“After that, it worked out a lot better. Credit to those guys seeing what they saw and getting me out of that quick, because today could have been a lot different. It was a couple quick adjustments, a couple words of encouragement and we’re right back at it."
