Sale all smiles in successful return to the mound

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The fastball seared on the corners like it did during Chris Sale’s healthy years. His slider dove with violence.

But the most telling thing about Sale’s solid Grapefruit League debut (two scoreless innings, 31 pitches, 24 strikes, two hits, two strikeouts) in Monday afternoon's 7-1 win over Detroit was the smile on his face as he walked off the mound.

Simple moments like that have been too infrequent for Sale, who spent far more time rehabbing from injuries the last three seasons than doing what he loves most -- pitching.

“I’m a baseball player. I've done this my whole life,” Sale said. “I couldn't tell you my first memory of playing baseball because I just did it before I knew anything. And that got taken away for quite a while. And it was frustrating.”

Frustration is finally giving way to satisfaction again for Sale.

“Today was a good day,” Sale said. “Felt good. Any time you can roll out a couple zeros, that’s a good thing. So it's nice to get that first one out of the way.”

For the first time since 2019, Sale is on target to be on the active roster at the start of the season. In fact, Monday marked the first time in four years he had been able to pitch a Grapefruit League game.

Sale topped out at 96 mph on the radar gun in center field, though Red Sox manager Alex Cora suspected those readings were a little jumpy.

This was one of those days where velocity didn’t matter much.

“He could have given up seven and it wouldn’t matter,” Cora said. “You know, he's healthy and let's get ready for the next one.”

Now that Sale is in full pitching mode, it seems like an appropriate time for a quick recap of the various things that beset him from 2020–22.

First, there was Tommy John surgery, which prevented Sale from pitching at any level in 2020. Then came '21, when he spent the spring and early summer completing his rehab from Tommy John and returned for the final six weeks of the regular season and into the postseason with decent results, but no changeup to speak of.

It seemed like 2022 would be a comeback story for Sale. Instead, it was one broken bone after another. First, a stress fracture in his right ribcage suffered while throwing during the lockout. Then, a vicious line drive by Aaron Hicks at Yankee Stadium on July 17, which broke Sale’s left pinkie finger. And finally, a bike accident the first week in August in which Sale broke his right wrist and basically just said, “Uncle.” He only made two starts all season.

Over the past three years, there were times Sale doubted he could keep pitching.

“When you get knocked down like that, it's tough,” Sale said. “You’ve got to collect yourself to get back up. That's why I have so much appreciation for everyone around here. That's why I have so much love for my family, my friends, my teammates, everybody here.”

Sale was asked to cite some people who were of particular help during his worst moments.

“Pick a name out of a hat,” Sale said. “It's a phone call to my dad. It's being out in the backyard with my sons. A lot of people. Everyone here. Trainers, strength coach, mental skills guys. I mean, if I said one name, it wouldn’t make sense. There’s just too many people.”

The beauty of the current state of affairs for Sale is that the goal now is simple -- to get ready for his second start of the spring on Saturday against the Twins.

If that start-to-start routine in Spring Training came to feel monotonous at one point for Sale, that is no longer an issue.

“I'm trying to just kind of soak more things in and just really appreciate it, because I was 21 not too long ago,” said the 33-year-old lefty. “You know, first time in Spring Training, walking around the room, just eyes wide open looking at these big guys walking around this clubhouse. And I'm here now and it went fast.

“And there might have been some days I could have maybe appreciated things more and I just don’t want that to happen anymore. So like I said, I just try to soak it all in and try to be more open minded and appreciate things more as they come because this thing isn’t going to last forever.”