The Boston Red Sox finally managed to snap out of their funk and pull off a win on Thursday night against the Cincinnati Reds, preventing a sweep.
However, it came with a cost, as veteran left-hander Chris Sale exited the game with left shoulder soreness.
Sale has dealt with more than his fair share of injuries over the past several years, leaving a major void in the Red Sox starting rotation.
The Red Sox ace had posted a 2.55 ERA over his previous six starts.
He lasted 3.2 innings and allowed a run on Thursday against the Reds.
After the game, Red Sox manager Alex Cora shared his thoughts on the matter.
Chris Sale exited today's game in the 4th inning with left shoulder soreness.
Alex Cora shared his thoughts. pic.twitter.com/VOBj7yYnf7
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 2, 2023
Cora said that Sale was simply dealing with shoulder soreness and that the left-hander would have an MRI on Friday.
The Red Sox manager described some of the warning signs he saw with the lefty on Thursday, one of which was the fact that his velocity had significantly decreased from its normal levels.
Cora said he began to notice some changes in the second inning, when Sale’s fastball went from averaging 95 mph to 90 mph instead, and stressed that the Red Sox needed to be responsible about this situation.
Cora also acknowledged that it wasn’t an easy decision for him to take Sale out, knowing how hard the left-hander has worked to try and stay healthy despite numerous setbacks.
However, he mentioned that the key priority is to take care of Sale and get him healthy for the rest of the season.
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