Someday maybe we’ll find out the real reason Chris Sale was hospitalized at MGH last week. It could be that Sale really did have a stomach illness and had to stay overnight because of it. Simple as that.
But this whole thing has been mighty confusing.
Sale sent many a media folk and many a curious Red Sox fan into a tizzy this past weekend when he said he was hospitalized because of an infection he got from a belly button ring. He deadpanned it, and most bought his belly button story initially. Turns out he was just kidding.
Whether it was the belly button ring or an expired piece of chicken, it’s in the past now – according to the Red Sox. They survived the ALCS with Sale only having pitched four innings, and he is full speed ahead of Game 1 of the World Series against the Dodgers on Tuesday.
“We can’t wait,” Sale told WEEI. “This is what we worked hard for all year, to play in the World Series. You show up to spring training. That’s the goal. That’s what we talked about all year. From Day 1, everyone in here – AC (Alex Cora) – the coaching staff, has talked about getting to the World Series. We’re all excited. You can talk to everybody in here. We’ve all grinded. Worked hard. We’re here and have an opportunity to win the last game of the year and that’s as good as it gets.”
Odd as it may be, Red Sox fans are probably just as confident right now that David Price will throw a good game than Sale. Sale was on a pitch count throughout the month of September and looked shaky. The lanky lefty was phenomenal in the ALDS against the Yankees, pitching a total of 6.1 innings and 106 pitches in two appearances while allowing just five hits and two earned runs.
But things fell apart in Game 1 against the Astros as Sale’s velocity was down and he was uncharacteristically wild. He walked four batters in his lone appearance in the series, coughing up a pair of runs in a game the Sox wound up losing, 7-2.
On the surface, the Red Sox at least seem as though the elite version of Sale – the one that struck out 237 batters and had a 2.11 ERA during the regular season – will be making the start at Fenway Tuesday night.
“He’s good to go. I think everything works out for a reason. Game 5 [of the ALCS] happened and he gets a few more off days so he can take care of his belly button,” Cora said, tongue-in-cheek. “He’ll be ready to go.”
