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Boston Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday with left shoulder inflammation, and his latest injury setback has left the 34-year-old disheartened.
“I hate feeling like this,” Sale said Friday, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive. “I started having fun playing baseball again. Now I’m back to not having fun, and that sucks.”
Sale was already going to miss at least one start because of the issue, which forced him into an early exit Thursday against the Cincinnati Reds.
He underwent an MRI and CT scan Friday and is scheduled to undergo additional testing over the coming days, according to Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald. Full results won’t be known for at least five-to-seven days, but Sale is hopeful that rest can rectify the problem.
“This isn’t anything that’s going to require any sort of procedure, I don’t think,” Sale said, per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. “It’s just going to take time.”
Sale’s velocity dipped during his final inning Thursday, leading trainers to visit him on the mound. He initially remained in the game but only lasted a few more pitches before departing. The injury halted what’s been his best run of success in nearly five years, as he tallied 36 strikeouts with a 2.43 ERA and just five walks over five starts since May 1.
This was shaping up to be Sale’s first full season since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2020. He made just 11 total starts over the last two seasons, missing time due to rib and finger injuries last season after completing his elbow rehab.
The Red Sox reinstated right-hander Corey Kluber from the paternity list in a corresponding roster move.