Chris Sale, who made two rehab starts with the Portland Sea Dogs, will make his return to the Red Sox on Saturday. He has not pitched a major league game in two years. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer
Chris Sale has passed the final test. Next weekend, the Red Sox ace will officially be back where he belongs.
In what promises to be an electric day at Fenway Park, Sale will make his long-awaited return to the majors this Saturday against the Orioles. It will mark two years and one day since his last big-league start, following Tommy John surgery last March and a rehab process that ultimately took more than 16 months.
“Hand me the ball,” Sale told reporters Saturday after his fifth and final rehab start. “I’m going to throw it until you take it.”
Even with an off day on Monday, the Red Sox chose to give Sale an extra day of rest leading into his return. They want to be mindful of the increased intensity that a major league game will bring, even if it means that his return won’t come on the two-year anniversary of his last one.
“For how much we trust him and rely on him, the adrenaline and everything that’s going on, going on Saturday, it’s going to be a lot different than a rehab start,” Red Sox Manager Alex Cora said. “So give him an extra rest going into that one, it makes sense.
“I talked to him today and he feels great. If it was his choice, it was the 13th, because in ’19 that was his last start, too. Friday night, Friday the 13th, Chris Sale. Probably (Red Sox president) Sam (Kennedy) is killing me right now because we decided he’s going to be the 14th, but it’s OK. One more day doesn’t matter. I do believe it’s more about preparing him this week for that, and for the future. … I think it makes sense for everything we’re trying to map out and trying to accomplish is to pitch for him that day.”
THE RED SOX got some good news on Sunday as J.D. Martinez and Jarren Duran were reinstated from the COVID-19 related injured list and were back in the lineup for the series finale in Toronto. But they weren’t as fortunate with the status of their coaching staff.
Bench coach Will Venable, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, is required to quarantine in Canada for 14 days, per government rules, before rejoining the team. First-base coach Tom Goodwin, who was deemed a close contact, also has to stay in Canada for a short period.
“I believe they’ll keep testing (Goodwin) for a few days and if everything goes accordingly, everything is negative, he’ll be able to join us probably in five or six days,” Cora said. “With Will, it’s different. He has to stay here. I think it’s 14 days. It’s a tough one because he’s down because he feels like he let us down. He didn’t. It just happens. He has to stay here.
“Forget the professional part of it, the other part is the one that really, the family and all that. Just spending time with them, not being able to see them for a while and all that, that’s the hard part of all this. He’s OK. He feels good, it just happens that he tested positive.”
Cora said the fact that they’re in Canada may have prevented a COVID-19 outbreak within the team because Venable, who is vaccinated, wouldn’t have needed to take a test.
“It’s more than baseball. It’s more than MLB. It’s just where we’re at,” Cora said. “In a situation like this, you don’t test because you’re vaccinated, probably we avoid something huge here. I know it’s a tough situation, but at the same time if there’s a positive one, that’s the positive one.”
ALEX VERDUGO was out of Sunday’s lineup and will be at least for a few days after being placed on paternity leave.
“He had to fly this morning,” Cora said. “So he’s not going to be with us today and the upcoming days.”
THE RED SOX sent Tanner Houck back to Triple-A Worcester after his start Saturday night, which was a procedural move. Houck was originally optioned on July 29, and the option lasts 15 days, which means he can return on Aug. 13. He was allowed to pitch Saturday as the 27th man in the doubleheader.
With Martin Perez demoted to the bullpen, Cora said last week that it’s likely Houck takes his spot in the rotation.
“He will contribute soon,” Cora said.
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