ANAHEIM, Calif. — Each time Chris Sale takes the mound, it’s another glimpse into what is turning out to be a historic season.
Sale registered his 200th strikeout of the season on Friday night in Anaheim as he and the Red Sox cruised to a 6-2 win over the Angels.
At his current pace, Sale has a chance to break Boston’s single-season strikeout record of 313 set by Pedro Martinez in 1999.
“It’s cool. I definitely appreciate it,” Sale said after the win. “I’m not the biggest fan of looking into stuff like that, but those things are for like in the offseason or one day tell my grandkids or something like that. But we’ve still got a lot of work to do, so I don’t want to get caught up with stuff like that.”
“I’ve not been around a pitcher that’s had those kind of totals,” Manager John Farrell said. “The strikeout capability is certainly unique. He’s an elite pitcher, and it’s not just with one pitch, it’s with three different ones he can get strikeouts with. But to see how consistent he’s been with strikeouts totals is unique and certainly impressive.’
The lefty became just the 12th Red Sox pitcher with 200 strikeouts in one season – and he still has about 11 starts left.
Only three other pitchers in major league history have record 200 strikeouts in 20 or fewer starts: Nolan Ryan (1977), Randy Johnson (three times) and Martinez (1999).
In his first season in Boston, Sale is leading the majors in just about every pitching category. His ERA is 2.48.
“I’m not here to talk about that kind of crap, man,” Sale said when asked if this was his best season ever. “We’ve got a long way to go – a long way to go and a lot of work to do. Looking forward to the rest of the season and just working hard.”
Sale scattered four hits and two walks over six innings of work.
His final pitch of the sixth inning came on a swinging strikeout of Kole Calhoun.
Hanley Ramirez was once again the Red Sox designated hitter Friday for the first time since Monday, but he won’t be putting his first baseman’s glove into storage just yet.
What had been the plan all offseason – for Ramirez to play first base against left-handed starters and Mitch Moreland to handle first against righties – is now the alignment the Red Sox will be using going forward, according to Farrell.
Without Sam Travis on the roster – the Sox optioned him back to Triple-A Pawtucket last week – Ramirez is the choice to give Moreland ample rest at first base and make room for Chris Young to be the DH.
Ramirez had his first career 30-homer, 100-RBI season last year as the full-time first baseman and there was some thought that having him back in the infield was keeping him more engaged.
He’s just 2 for 15 with a double and a homer as the first baseman this season, but is the notion that he could be sharper while playing first still relevant?
“I think time will tell that,” Farrell said. “I think any player, when they’re on the field defensively, there are other ways to contribute to an overall win. I think Hanley felt that last year at the position, so (maybe) it also keeps the mind occupied on the defensive side rather than sitting around for two or three innings prior to your next at-bat.
“Does it give you a chance to shut that off mentally to focus on other things? That’s another possibility. I think until Hanley gets more games played under his belt at first base, maybe we’ll be better able to compare that with the production when he’s on the field.”
Mookie Betts can’t get a day off. His team needs him in the lineup.
The runner-up to AL MVP Mike Trout last year, Betts has started each of the last 93 games. It’s the longest streak by a Sox player since Dustin Pedroia started 94 consecutive games from 2011-12. Mo Vaughn is the last to start at least 95 straight games for the club.
“The one thing that he has on his side is youth and durability,” Farrell said. “But that’s not to take him for granted, either. You try to pick your spots, and yet he’s a guy you don’t want out of the lineup because of what he provides to us.”
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