Boston Red Sox ‘will listen to questions for Chris Sale if they bid to replace Xander Bogaerts at shortstop…and starting pitcher could be traded four months after bizarre BIKE injury ended his season’
Chris Sale endured a disastrous season, playing only two games through injury
It was a wrist injury that curtailed his campaign, sustained in a freak cycling accident
The Red Sox will reportedly listen to questions for the pitcher this winter
Boston is desperately trying to replace All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts
Click here for all your latest international sports news from DailyMail.com
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
Boston southpaw Chris Sale is not in the trade bloc, but the Red Sox are reportedly listening to questions about his availability.
The team’s willingness to submit offers is based on a belief that the starting rotation has depth, the New York Post reported Saturday.
After losing shortstop Xander Bogaerts in free agency, and Trevor Story’s expected move to the position, the Red Sox have a big gap to fill in the infield and could use a pitcher as collateral.
Boston Red Sox southpaw Chris Sale could be traded this winter after injury-plagued career
Xander Bogaerts left a big gap at shortstop for Boston after heading for the Padres
The Red Sox have six potential starter candidates less than two months before spring training starts: Sale, left-hander James Paxton and right-hander Nick Pivetta, Garrett Whitlock, Tanner Houck and Brayan Bello.
Sale signed a five-year, $145 million contract with the Red Sox in March 2019 and is contracted through the 2024 season. It includes a full no-trade clause.
Still, the Red Sox haven’t gotten much return on their investment in Sale, who turns 34 just before the start of the 2023 season due to injuries.
The seven-time All-Star underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the 2020 season, not returning to MLB action until August 2021.
Sale’s season ended after just two games when he suffered an embarrassing cycling injury
In July, Sale threw a violent tantrum after a poor start to minor league rehab
In 2022, Sale missed time due to a rib stress fracture, a broken finger and a broken right wrist. The latter was the result of a bicycle accident and ended his season.
As a result, he has pitched only 48 1/3 innings over the past three seasons combined.
In July, Sale threw a violent tantrum after a bad start to rehab with the minors and ripped a whiteboard off the wall of the clubhouse before downplaying his rough night as “a bit of a hiccup.”
He was seen furiously destroying a minor league clubhouse after a dismal performance at Triple A-Worcester.
The video showed the 6-foot-6 southpaw taking a bat into the tunnel and smashing a wall before kicking a whiteboard and then tearing it down, leaving a pile of debris at his feet.
Sale is 114-75 longevity with a 3.03 ERA in 323 games (243 starts) for the Chicago White Sox (2010-16) and Red Sox. His strikeout rate of 11.07 strikeouts per nine innings is the highest ever.
The post Boston Red Sox ‘listen questions for Chris Sale if they bid to replace Xander Bogaerts’ appeared first on WhatsNew2Day.