Chris Sale Reportedly Wearing Special Sleeve for Tracking to Prevent Further Injury Damage
By Sean Facey
Chris Sale and the Boston Red Sox are taking their concern for his health to the next level in Spring Training.
The ace southpaw was spotted wearing a black sleeve around his left elbow in camp, and apparently it has sensors in it that allow the team to monitor his throwing motion and track his elbow to avoid future injuries.
We finally know why Chris Sale is wearing that black sleeve, the Athletic reports that he’s not wearing due to discomfort or recovery. That sleeve has mini sensors that tracks everything happening on Sale’s arm/elbow to prevent any more injuries. pic.twitter.com/yrsxlwGwOL
— Boston Strong (@BostonStrong_34) February 23, 2020
Considering his unorthodox delivery and the injuries that have plagued him over the past two years with the Red Sox, it's a brilliant move to have him wear the sleeve.
This will help them get out in front of an possible problems and help him fix any mechanical flaws that could be contributing to them.
It also is a wise investment considering the Red Sox themselves are set to invest $145 million in that same arm over the next five years.
When throwing this spring, Chris Sale looks different, but the sleeve he's now wearing is about more than comfort or recovery. It's filled with sensors tracking everything about his arm, so he can avoid further injury. From @jcmccaffrey: https://t.co/KpiwESBR1i pic.twitter.com/2etGiZw3a2
— The Athletic Boston (@TheAthleticBOS) February 23, 2020
This offseason has been filled with elbow concerns for Sale. After getting shut down for the season in mid-August, he ended up making a nerve-wracking visit to Dr. Andrews. Fortunately for him and the Red Sox, he managed to avoid Tommy John surgery.
It'll be interesting to see what data the Red Sox can extract from this sleeve and whether or not it will really help with the questions surrounding Sale's durability moving forward.