Seven-time All-Star starting pitcher Chris Sale has been out of big-league action for the Boston Red Sox this season due to a stress fracture in his right rib cage, and on Wednesday night he made a rehab start in Triple-A for the Worcester Red Sox.
Here’s what it looked like as Sale walked through the tunnel for his start:
sup man pic.twitter.com/CoiMOn8SxR
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) July 6, 2022
And here’s what it looked like in the tunnel after Sale walked in a run and was removed from the game after 3 2/3 innings pitched:
VIDEO: #RedSox pitcher Chris Sale upset after giving up a bases loaded walk & being taken out after 3 & 2/3 innings in a rehab start for the @WooSox (📸: @bri4homes) @NBC10Boston @NECN pic.twitter.com/1j1ga5kJaT
— Alysha Palumbo NBC10 Boston (@AlyshaNBCBoston) July 7, 2022
Quite a difference!
Polar Park opened ahead of the 2021 season, and the stadium will already need some renovations in the home team’s tunnel after Sale’s temper tantrum.
Sale has always been known as a big-time competitor, and that’s probably a big reason why he’s a seven-time All-Star and has a World Series ring. But that reaction seems just a tad bit extreme for a minor-league rehab start.
Here’s a sampling of how the baseball world has reacted to Sale’s tunnel destruction:
We know Sale is the ultimate competitor and part of me loves the fire. But isn’t there at least some sort of injury risk here? Or am I just being soft? https://t.co/ngJ3gjwl2G
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) July 7, 2022
This is what Van Halen did backstage whenever they found brown m&ms in their treat bowl https://t.co/pN7Sly0nWU
— Christopher Smith (@SmittyOnMLB) July 7, 2022
Well I could hear that Chris Sale was angry after coming out of the game but goodnes gracious https://t.co/I0d1jjMBpL
— Katie Morrison-O'Day (@KatieMo61) July 7, 2022
Maybe "Excitable Boy" should be his new warm-up song. https://t.co/px2EyJ4Qqx
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) July 7, 2022
What an absolute psychopath
he can play on my team any day of the week https://t.co/RNgYnT4bfO
— Greg Huss (@OutOfTheVines) July 7, 2022
Max Scherzer: springs for steak and lobster
Luis Arraez: gift cards for minor leaguers
Chris Sale: uh, free demolition services (?) https://t.co/0u53CYT3Js
— Brandon Warne (@Brandon_Warne) July 7, 2022
Chris Sale absolutely buys the minor leaguers he is rehabbing with a meal, but then asks them to Venmo him their share once the food shows up. https://t.co/DiIZf101vB
— Matt Burnell (@mdburnell) July 7, 2022
Despite Sale’s theatrics, he didn’t sound too worried about where he’s at in his rehab process. Via ESPN:
“I’m very ready,” he said after throwing 72 pitches in 3⅔ innings and allowing one run on three hits. “I know today was a little bit of a hiccup, but there’s nothing that can’t be ironed out.”
“I mean, I walked five guys. I’ve gone months without walking five guys,” the seven-time All-Star said. “That just tells me it right there that nothing’s wrong. It’s just I got some things I have to clean up.”
Sale missed all of 2020 after recovering from Tommy John surgery, and had a 3.16 ERA over 42 2/3 innings in 2021 for Boston. In 2019, Sale signed a five-year, $145 million contract with the Red Sox (2020-24, with a vesting option in 2025).
