How Should the Sox Utilize Sale This Season?

[streeter88]

So tired of reheating this 2018 leftover. Can’t we just put him in the FOGO bin already?

Jokes aside, as others have said Sale actually held up OK and pitched pretty well last year. In his 20 starts, the Red Sox went 12-8 which is far better than their overall record. So he deserves a shot at a rotation spot.

Just let’s not count on him for any more than 80% of his 2023 totals. Mark Pryor was the original “made of glass” guy on SOSH; Sale is more like uncooked spaghetti.

 

[GPO Man]

I’m curious to see how Sale adjusts as he gets into the latter half of his career. Can he become more crafty as he loses velocity?

 

[Sin Duda]

So tired of reheating this 2018 leftover. Can’t we just put him in the FOGO bin already?

Woah, when did we start talking lacrosse? (FOGO = Face Off, Get Off, a guy who wins the faceoff, flips the ball to a teammate, then subs out).

 

[Manuel Aristides]

The point is that he’s an outlier, not that he’s the same as Verlander. I’ve seen them both. I know they’re different. I said as much.

I think the real point is that "just because a guy is old and has had injuries does not mean he cannot be good again" and Verlander is only one of a hundred examples, obviously we all know this is hypothetically true. Some posters seem certain Sale's body type / pitching style / reckless personal life / karma for the CWS jersey thing is going to continue to cause future injuries... I just don't think that's at all something any of us can know, and that his 2023 season was the most promising about his future since probably 2018. There are obviously no guarantees either way, but, I think too many people are discounting the quality of whatever innings he does pitch. It ain't gonna be 200, clearly, but IMO he's too talented to toss aside. Penciling him at 3/4 seems like it would be a pretty excellent staff even if that's the only fact I knew about it.

 

[Sandy Leon Trotsky]

I think the real point is that "just because a guy is old and has had injuries does not mean he cannot be good again" and Verlander is only one of a hundred examples, obviously we all know this is hypothetically true. Some posters seem certain Sale's body type / pitching style / reckless personal life / karma for the CWS jersey thing is going to continue to cause future injuries... I just don't think that's at all something any of us can know, and that his 2023 season was the most promising about his future since probably 2018. There are obviously no guarantees either way, but, I think too many people are discounting the quality of whatever innings he does pitch. It ain't gonna be 200, clearly, but IMO he's too talented to toss aside. Penciling him at 3/4 seems like it would be a pretty excellent staff even if that's the only fact I knew about it.

I'd say that a Montgomery, Bello, Houck, Sale/Pivetta, Crawford rotation is okay to good if Sale looks vintage Sale. If not, it's just okay and likely not a playoff contender.
If it's Montgomery, Imanaga, Bellow, Sale/Pivetta, Crawford/Houck that rotation is top notch if Sale looks good- borderline playoff - 92ish win competitive if he's injured again.

 

[Big Papi's Mango Salsa]

I'd say that a Montgomery, Bello, Houck, Sale/Pivetta, Crawford rotation is okay to good if Sale looks vintage Sale. If not, it's just okay and likely not a playoff contender.
If it's Montgomery, Imanaga, Bellow, Sale/Pivetta, Crawford/Houck that rotation is top notch if Sale looks good- borderline playoff - 92ish win competitive if he's injured again.

And if it's Montgomery, "Gilbert", Bello, Crawford, Imanaga with Houck as insurance and Chris Sale has been traded it's really good, far fewer "error bars" and you've probably recouped at least a bit of the value you've had to give up in order to acquire said SP2. If Sale doesn't waive his NTC, you're still in a good spot as you can go 6 man to help easily build up Bello's innings and not force Imanaga too far off his Japan "days between rest" routine.

Also, your season isn't sunk when your penciled in SP2 (or SP3 or wherever one puts Sale) becomes 20 starts from "Kyle Barraclough."

 

[Manuel Aristides]

I'd say that a Montgomery, Bello, Houck, Sale/Pivetta, Crawford rotation is okay to good if Sale looks vintage Sale. If not, it's just okay and likely not a playoff contender.
If it's Montgomery, Imanaga, Bellow, Sale/Pivetta, Crawford/Houck that rotation is top notch if Sale looks good- borderline playoff - 92ish win competitive if he's injured again.

Yeah when I said "Sale at 3/4 sounds good" it's because I thought it would be FA1, FA2, Bello, Sale. If it's FA, Bello, Sale that's not a disaster but it is a lot less exciting I'll admit.

 

[Max Power]

I'd say that a Montgomery, Bello, Houck, Sale/Pivetta, Crawford rotation is okay to good if Sale looks vintage Sale. If not, it's just okay and likely not a playoff contender.
If it's Montgomery, Imanaga, Bellow, Sale/Pivetta, Crawford/Houck that rotation is top notch if Sale looks good- borderline playoff - 92ish win competitive if he's injured again.

If Sale is vintage Sale, the team is an automatic favorite to make the playoffs. That guy was one of the handful of best pitchers in baseball. It seems unlikely that he's ever coming back, though.