Red Sox Waiting for One More Chris Sale Opinion to 'Get This Right' Feels Like a Bad Sign
By Jerry Trotta
Fans in Beantown itching for a bounce-back campaign from staff ace Chris Sale surely aren't feeling too hot right about now.
The 30-year-old left-hander was already expected to begin the regular season on the injured list after his Spring was delayed from an extended battle with pneumonia and the flu. Shortly after that news was promulgated, the Red Sox were dealt a much more concerning update on Sale.
Boston sent Sale for an MRI on Tuesday after he was said to be combatting elbow soreness, and manager Ron Roenicke's latest comments on the veteran's status are anything but reassuring.
Roenicke said not to assume the worst-case scenario. But teams usually don’t get a third opinion to confirm good news. Getting opinions from Andrews and ElAttrache certainly suggests there’s a significant injury.
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) March 4, 2020
If Red Sox diehards thought that quote damning, we don't even want to fathom what they'll think of Roenicke's full assessment of the seven-time All-Star.
Like any manager looking to weather a storm, Roenicke urged analysts and fans not to assume the worst. However, he also noted that clubs don't normally receive good news after a pitcher is advised to get a third opinion on an elbow injury.
Sale will reportedly see Dr. James Andrews and Dr. Neal ElAttrache, and according to Pete Abraham of the the Boston Globe, a visit to them almost always "suggests there's a significant injury."
Chris Sale has soreness in his throwing elbow.
— Steve Perrault (@Steve_Perrault) March 3, 2020
This tweet is from every year ever
It sure sounds like Roenicke is insinuating that the organization must prioritize Sale's long-term health, which is certainly reasonable, but a fundamental interpretation of getting it "right" says that Stickman is poised for a longer spell on the shelf than previously thought.
And that would be an utter nightmare for the Red Sox.