White Sox ace Chris Sale set to make final start of ’14
Sep 17, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher
Chris Sale(49) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale is set to make his final start of the 2014 season on Wednesday afternoon, facing the Detroit Tigers who are in the midst of a postseason race with the Kansas City Royals for the AL Central crown.
Aug 30, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale (49) throws a pitch against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at U.S Cellular Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
The season by Sale has been memorable, and one White Sox fans, shouldn’t forget in the foreseeable future.
The left-handed ace has made us cheer and pump our fist for most of the past six months, entering his season finale with a 12-4 record and an AL-best 2.20 ERA in 25 starts.
Though Sale missed time with a stint on the disabled list earlier this season, he has still pitched 166.0 innings, gaining 198 strikeouts and keeping the opposition to a .205 batting average on the season.
To put it quickly … Sale in my opinion has been a Top 2 pitcher in the American League this season. He deserves consideration for the Cy Young award, and if he has one last good outing on Wednesday, who knows what the voters will do?
Sale will oppose former Cy Young award winner Justin Verlander on Wednesday.
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Looking at his past 10 starts, Sale from July 26-Sept. 17 has pitched 66 innings, allowing 18 earned runs in that span … an ERA of 2.45. Also in those past 10 starts, the White Sox ace has struck out 88 batters. In that span of games Sale is 3-3.
As for his season totals, Sale has also pitched two complete games, and has built a WHIP of 0.96.
There is no question Sale has been the best pitcher on the White Sox this season, and he’s the most reliable, because when mostly everyone else is on the mound you aren’t quite sure what is about to happen.
With Sale, we all pretty much know the White Sox will be in the game, and have a good opportunity to win.
Tomorrow is a good-and-bad day for the fan base of the White Sox. The good is we get to see Sale pitch against the first-place team in the AL Central, but the bad is this is it for the ’14 with Sale.
I’m sad to see that excitement end for another season.