Chris Sale to make first start against White Sox on Tuesday. The All-Star pitcher has been on fire to start the season for the Red Sox.
After winning their series opener against the Boston Red Sox on Monday, the Chicago White Sox will face their former ace in Chris Sale on Tuesday night. Sale, who pitched for the Sox for six seasons will make his first start against his former team since being traded this past offseason.
The White Sox traded Sale to the Red Sox for a bevy of top prospects. The trade signaled the beginning of a rebuild for the White Sox. As Sale was acquired by the Red Sox, the White Sox were able to get Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Luis Alexander Basabe and Victor Diaz in return for the All-Star pitcher.
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With the White Sox receiving a wealth of top prospects for Sale, the Red Sox were able to strengthen their pitching rotation with the addition of 28-year-old pitcher. Sale hasn’t disappointed Red Sox fans thus far to start the 2017 season. Through 10 starts, Sale is 5-2 with a 2.34 ERA for Boston.
Sale is off to one of his best starts to this career and tied his own record with nine consecutive games pitched with 10 or more recorded strikeouts. The former White Sox pitcher couldn’t break his record in his previous start against the Texas Rangers.
While Red Sox fans are satisfied with Sale’s start to this season, he had a similarly strong start to last season. Through 10 games pitched in 2016, Sale was 9-1 with a 2.26 ERA. In comparison with 2017, Sale recorded only 69 strikeouts through 10 starts last season. This season, Sale has recorded 101 strikeouts through 10 starts.
Although Sale has recorded more strikeouts through 10 starts this season than in 2016, he hasn’t pitched a complete game yet in 2017. Last season, Sale pitched three complete games through 10 starts. Sale hasn’t pitched more than eight innings in any of his 10 starts this season, but this could very well change against his former team.
Sale will look to continue his early season dominance when he takes the mound at Guaranteed Rate Field on Tuesday night. He will be opposed by his former teammate Jose Quintana. This will be the first time each pitcher has faced off against each other. Quintana is coming off a poor start in his previous outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The last start for Sale at Guaranteed Rate Field was in the White Sox season finale last year. In his final start for the White Sox, Sale pitched just five innings while allowing five earned runs and recording six strikeouts against the Minnesota Twins. Sale will look to have a much better result at Guaranteed Rate Field.
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With the White Sox winning four of their last five games, they will face a tough task in trying to continue their winning ways. Sale hasn’t given up more than four earned runs in any start this season, and Quintana hasn’t received much run support this season from the White Sox. Tuesday’s start has the makings of a frustrating evening for the White Sox.