Cora: Sale available from 'pen for Game 3

BOSTON -- Red Sox manager Alex Cora did an about-face on lefty Chris Sale’s role in this American League Division Series, saying Sunday morning that the struggling ace will be available in the bullpen as soon as Game 3.

Sale threw only 30 pitches in his Game 2 start on Friday. He was pulled after just one inning, in which he gave up five runs -- including a grand slam.

• ALDS Game 4 presented by Good Sam: Monday, 7 p.m. ET on FS1

On Saturday, Cora said this, when asked if Sale was an option out of the bullpen: “No. We're not going to use him that way for health reasons.”

So what changed in 24 hours?

“Their lineup construction,” Cora said of a Rays starting nine that included five lefty bats and a switch-hitter. “We’ve got plenty of options, enough to mix and match with them. We knew that with a righty, they were going to put all these lefties in the lineup. So now we’ve got [Eduardo Rodriguez], we’ve got Sale, Martín [Pérez], [Josh Taylor] and [Austin Davis]. We’ll go from there.”

In his comeback from Tommy John surgery, Sale has made 10 starts, and held lefties to a line of .148/.148/.185 across 27 plate appearances. It’s been a much different story for righties, who have slashed .306/.378/.490 with seven homers and 18 RBIs in 164 plate appearances.

What about the health concerns Cora had expressed about Sale being used as a reliever?

“We feel comfortable with him in the bullpen today, let’s leave it at that,” said Cora. “He feels he can go, medically. Everybody is fine with it. And honestly I think, mentally, for him, I think it will be great to put the spikes on and be ready for today.”

Boston coaching fraternity
Cora was almost giddy in his news conference on Sunday morning while relaying that Patriots coach Bill Belichick had sent him multiple texts this week. One was wishing him good luck in the AL Wild Card Game against the Yankees. The other was congratulating Cora after the Red Sox won that tilt.

“Bill texted me the other day. I'm in the club. I’m in the club. I'm excited,” said Cora. “I mean, actually, I texted him today, ‘Hey -- beat the Texans.’”

Clearly, it meant a lot to Cora to hear from Belichick, who is known for his hyper-focus on all things Patriots during football season.

“Oh yeah. That’s huge,” Cora said. “That’s like the highlight of the year, to be honest.”

Brotherly love
Anyone who has spent much time around Cora knows how close he is with his older brother, Joey, who was dismissed as the third-base coach of the Pirates on Saturday.

When Alex Cora was suspended by MLB for the 2020 season for his role in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal, Joey was one of the people who supported him most.

“Yeah, I mean, obviously, it’s funny now, because I’m the one talking to him and making sure he’s OK. He’s done that with me the whole time,” said Alex Cora. “He told me actually before Game 1, so he’ll make some phone calls and see if he can get a job. Right now he’s locked in with [rooting for] us. We’ll see how it goes.”

Alex hopes his big brother will spend some time in Boston and on the road if the Red Sox can extend their playoff run.

“Hopefully we see him soon here, so he can come here and hang out with us – with us as a family,” Alex Cora said.

As he has done in the past, Alex Cora discounted the possibility of adding Joey to his staff. Alex has always respected Joey so much that it would be awkward for him to be higher on the chain of command.

“No, not good for him, not good for me, not good for my mother. That would be a tough one,” Alex Cora said. “But he’ll be OK, he’s a great baseball man. Obviously not great that happened; things happen for a reason, and hopefully he can find a job and keep impacting players.”

Though the Cora brothers talk baseball, family matters are a more comfortable subject for them.

“He’s still my brother -- my older brother,” said Cora. “Sometimes when we talk baseball, it’s like, his way or the highway with me. He has all the answers, and I avoid that.”