By: Harold Klapper
Last Wednesday, Chris Sale had his most impressive start of the season, and most likely the best pitching performance from any Red Sox player this year. The lefty threw a complete game shutout and gave up just three hits. Sale pitched an immaculate eighth inning, becoming the second pitcher in history to throw multiple immaculate innings in one season. Not to mention it’s his second one this month. However, this remarkable performance was against the Royals, one of the worst teams in the MLB. Many wonder if this start is indicative of a strong stretch or if it’s a fluke against a terrible lineup. In order to address this, it’s important to look at both his numbers and his pitches.
In only 102 pitches, Chris Sale pitched a complete game against the Royals. He recorded 12 strikeouts and gave up zero walks. The majority of his outs came on ground balls, 11 of them, which is a sign of players having trouble making strong contact. His fastball reached speeds close to 100 mph and his slider was “as good as it has been” according to Sale. But, along with his core two pitches, his changeups seemed to be falling for strikes. All three of his pitches, having strong velocity and great location, made Sale almost impossible to hit off of for the Kansas City Royals. They managed to get three singles yet there was never a runner past first base in the game. If the game against the Royals showed anything, it’s that the version of Chris Sale that has three dominant pitches, maximum velocity, and a 72% strike rate is truly an ace.
While Sale’s game was great, it came against a team that is in a battle with the horrendous Baltimore Orioles to be the worst team in baseball. The Royals only have one batter with an average over .300 and are struggling offensively. The Royals have a team batting average of .246 and a slim OBP of .311. It’s safe to say that a lot of pitchers could have a great game against them, but what Chris Sale was different. Sale didn’t just have a great game because he faced a bad lineup, his pitching itself would’ve held up against any other team. After the game, both sides acknowledged that his velocity, location, and changeup were all extremely impressive. This equates to a start that would be remarkable against any team, and not just the Royals.
Looking at the bigger picture, this start could be the beginning of a dominant run for Sale. In his first few starts his velocity was down and he looked like a shell of himself. The Red Sox claimed that they wanted their pitching staff to ease into the season but the plan backfired. A lot of people thought Sale wouldn’t be able to bring his fastball up from the meager 89 mph pitch he was throwing in April. Now, Sale has showed us that he has the ability to throw 98 mph consistently and that he can take over a game. Until his next start we won’t know whether his complete game against the Royals meant anything, but it certainly showed us that Chris Sale will be ready to amp it up come the end of the regular season and October.
Will this start lead to something more, or is it the final Sale?
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