Chris Sale's domination of the Royals was a master class in overpowering pitching
Chris Sale is pretty good at baseball. I know, I know -- this shouldn't be a particularly bold statement for a dude with seven straight All-Star appearances and nearly 2,000 strikeouts on the old résumé.
Nonetheless, some fans were concerned when Sale began 2019 with five losses and an uncharacteristic 6.30 ERA in April. How could a guy that electric go through a stretch like that? Well, everyone slumps. It's as simple as that. Sale quickly righted the ship with multiple gems in May, including a career-high 17-strikeout performance against the Rockies.
As if there was any doubt that Sale was, well, Sale again, he went out on Wednesday night and threw one of the best games of his career. Whit Merrifield's a good hitter! Sale made him look foolish.
Chris Sale, Unfair 79mph Back Knee Slider. 😮 pic.twitter.com/t2pPEd4apX
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 6, 2019
"Just lay off the slider," you might think.
That's easier said than done. Even acknowledging the fact that Major League hitters only have milliseconds to decide whether or not to swing, Sale's slider and fastball tend to look alike to a hitter until it's too late.
Chris Sale, Fastball/Slider, Overlay. 😂 pic.twitter.com/kVUBVZhmfr
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 6, 2019
That's brutal.
Sale struck out 12 and needed a mere 102 pitches to fire his first shutout in a Red Sox uniform. Credit his efficiency with the fact that he allowed just three measly singles and didn't walk anyone. Oh, and he also threw his second immaculate inning of the season ... in the eighth, no less:
The last time a pitcher threw a pair of immaculate innings in a single season was 1928, and it was done by Hall of Famer Lefty Grove, another dominant southpaw who joined the Red Sox near the peak of his powers. Not too shabby company to keep.
In short: yes, Chris Sale is still good at this whole pitching thing. We think. Just a bit.
