Chris Sale is optimistic.
"I believe, and I have no reason not to think, I'm going to be just as good if not better when I get back out there," the pitcher told WEEI.com. "It might not be the first time I pitch. It might not be the first handful of times I pitch. I damn sure going to try. But in the long run I will be better off out there."
His manager is also feeling the positive vibes.
"Really good. Really good," said Alex Cora when asked by OMF about Sale's progression Wednesday. "I had a good conversation with him two days ago and the way he threw the ball his last flat-ground was very good. Very aggressive. He’s going down there to be around the family and keep working on his craft. This guy is going to help us in the long-run. He’s going to help us."
In a perfect world, the Red Sox wouldn't need to be leaning on that sort of optimism when trying to lay out their path to the postseason. Sale has still yet to reach the point from his Tommy John surgery rehab that includes throwing off a mound, with still no timetable for his return on the books.
But, as we were reminded Wednesday night at Fenway Park, a baseball season doesn't lend itself to best laid plans. When you witness uneasy outings like the one Garrett Richards turned in against the Blue Jays, patience becomes at least a smidge more difficult to muster.
None of this is to suggest that the Red Sox must rush Sale, or that they are even desperate for his services. Neither is true.
Despite the struggles of Richards - who sits with a 6.48 ERA, totaling more walks (13) than strikeouts (12) - the Red Sox' rotation has been good enough. It appears to possess two top-of-the-rotation options with Eduardo Rodriguez and Nathan Eovaldi, while the likes of Martin Perez and Nick Pivetta have shown some signs that they might be able to be counted on.
And, for now, the Red Sox also seem to have a proven fail-safe if the decision is made to pull the cord on any of the aforementioned candidates, or for when the inevitable injury bug strikes. Tanner Houck is the kind of luxury also allows Sale to be out-of-mind for the time being.
But the Red Sox are going to need more. Perhaps that will be where the veteran lefty comes in.
It's all well and good to ride through April and May soaking in the good and the bad of pitchers trying to find their way. There is a reason Chaim Bloom was OK in putting his faith in the likes of Perez, Pivetta and Richards despite the back of their baseball cards -- it was an investment in potential.
Remember, through his first eight starts in 2019 Perez totaled a 2.19 ERA.
Up until his uncomfortable 3 2/3-inning outing against the White Sox, Pivetta had been more than the Red Sox could have hoped for, winning each of his four starts with his new team.
And Richards, the pitcher with all of that spin rate and potential, seemed to be closing in on the pre-Tommy John surgery version of himself when closing out last season with a 2.76 ERA.
Still, projecting is a dangerous business, especially when it comes to starting pitching. Remember in 2015, when the Red Sox projected they had five aces -- Justin Masterson, Joe Kelly, Rick Porcello, Clay Buchholz and Wade Miley? That was because they all had shown some signs, much like a chunk of this year's rotation.
How did that work out?
Right now, the Red Sox' starters have an 8-6 record. They also possess a collective ERA of 4.40 and opponents batting average of .253, both residing in second tier of MLB starting staffs.
Perhaps we get into May and the Red Sox are sitting with an embarrassment of riches when it comes to their starting staff, with Houck doing his dominating down in Worcester. That, however, seems like a 50-50 proposition at the moment, at best.
It sure feels like the Red Sox are going to need something more. And for an organization that is trying to build minor-league depth, dealing off from the lower levels in order to trade for a short-term fix doesn't seem to fit the bill this time around.
That's why, fair or not, Sale has come to mind.
Dare to dream ... the Red Sox may be forced to.