Chris Sale's nightmarish start to the 2019 season didn't get any better on Tuesday night.
Though Sale's velocity improved, his results did not as he allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings pitched vs. the Yankees in the Bronx. After Boston's 8-0 loss, Sale was extremely hard on himself for his continued struggles.
“It sucks,” Sale told reporters. “Like I said, I’m not going to sugarcoat it, I just flat-out stink right now. I don’t know what it is. When you’re going good it’s good, and when you’re going bad it’s pretty bad. Hey, show up tomorrow, put on the shoes and get back after it.
“I just got to find a way to pitch better,” Sale continued. “This is flat-out embarrassing, for my family, for my team, for our fans. This is as bad as it gets. Like I said, I have to pitch better. I keep saying the same things, but at the end of the day, go out there give up four runs here, five runs here, seven runs here. I’m not getting to the sixth, seventh inning like I should. I mean that’s who I am, I’m supposed to pitch to the sixth, seventh, eighth inning, finish games and stuff like that, save our bullpen, cut it off when we’re losing and keep win streaks going, and that’s not who I’ve been and I’ve got to get back to that.”
Following his lackluster performance last Tuesday in the Red Sox home opener, Sale said he has never felt this lost on the mound in his life. It's clear that hasn't changed.
Manager Alex Cora has confidence the real Chris Sale will stand up sooner rather than later. Sale certainly hopes his manager is right:
The Red Sox now are 6-12 on the season. They'll look to split the two-game series in New York on Wednesday night at 6:35 p.m.
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