The Sale File
Team: Boston Red Sox
Height: 6-6
Weight: 180
Age: 33
Birthday: 3/30/1989
Fastball Velo: 94.9 mph
College: Florida Gulf Coast University
Draft: 13th overall pick, 2010
Contract: Signed a 5-year, $145 million extension in 2019
WAG: Brianne Sale
Children: Rylan, Brayson, Camden
Records/Accomplishments:
- Seven All-Star appearances, 2012-2018
- One World Series championship, 2018
- Led the American League in strikeouts, 2015, 2017
- Holds the MLB record for K/BB, 5.33
- Holds the MLB record for fewest innings to 2,000 strikeouts, 1,626
- Tied the MLB record for most immaculate innings pitched, 3
Chris Sale Scares Me
By Anthony Licciardi
Is anyone else scared of Chris Sale?
Sale has made a name for himself through his southpaw dominance, with three immaculate innings and seven All-Star selections to his name.
His lanky frame and almost entirely horizontal arm angle make him terrifying to face in the box. Especially for left-handed hitters that have to deal with a fastball that looks like it’s coming at you and a slider that seems to break into the next area code.
I’m not scared of facing Sale, though. Thankfully, my baseball career is long over, eliminating the threat of Sale pitching to me.
I’m still scared of Sale because I’ve seen what he’s capable of in a fit of rage. Once, as a member of the Chicago White Sox, he was tasked with pitching in an alternate uniform. It didn’t feel right, though, so he did what any rational man would do and took scissors to it. He made sure to make his teammate’s jerseys unusable, too. He was scratched from his start and sent home.
Later, with the Boston Red Sox, he was making a rehab start that went south. He took his anger out on the tunnel, destroying everything in his path. His meltdown unsurprisingly went viral. Instead of treating his teammates from the minor league start with dinner of gifts like other stars, he treated them to his best tornado impression.
I can’t imagine asking him for advice after that.