Boston Red Sox starter Chris Sale left Thursday’s 8-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds with a shoulder problem and is due for an MRI on Friday.
The 34-year-old southpaw showed a drop in speed in the fourth inning, prompting a visit to the mound from manager Alex Cora and a member of the Red Sox medical staff. The sell stayed in the game, but caused another mound two pitches later after walking Nick Senzel. This time he left the game after throwing 59 pitches.
The Red Sox later announced that Sale was suffering from left shoulder pain. Cora told reporters Sale wanted to stay, but pulled him out to reduce the risk of injury.
“I can’t be irresponsible,” Cora said. “We know each other. Obviously it’s not easy with everything he’s been through, but I have to take care of him.
The sale is scheduled for an MRI on Friday.
“We will see,” Kora said.
Sale did not speak to reporters after the game.
The sale was plagued by injuries
The injury scare is the latest for the seven-time All-Star who has seen several seasons derailed by injury. He was limited to just 11 starts in the previous three seasons. He missed all of 2020 and all but nine starts in 2021 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
He started 2022 on the injured list with a fractured rib cage. He was hit with a line drive two games after his comeback and broke his left pinky finger. He didn’t pitch again last season.
Sale has made eight starts this season, including Thursday, while posting a career-worst 4.58 ERA. But he threw the fastball that made him a crushing pitcher at his peak while striking out 71 batters in 59 innings. He was 4-0 in his five starts heading into Thursday while posting a 2.24 ERA in those games.
Now he is awaiting the results of the medical imaging.