ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — There is comfort in familiarity, and there is satisfaction in a job well done. And in the case of Chris Sale, it’s worth wondering just how much the comfort and the satisfaction — the familiarity and the performance — go hand-in-hand.
Last night was Sale’s 15th double-digit strikeout game of the year and his 10th scoreless start, and we’re not even halfway through August. His season doesn’t measure up to peak Pedro Martinez, but it might be the next-best thing. He’s the Cy Young favorite in the American League without a close second.
And these gaudy numbers keep happening with the same guy behind the plate, a guy who’s seen another Cy Young winner up close.