Chris Sale is nearing a return to the Boston Red Sox but he may not be a starter when he takes the mound.
Fine, so the left-hander will technically start the first inning of his next game but his role may not be what we expect from a starting pitcher. The Red Sox may steal a page out of the Tampa Bay Rays’ book by using Sale as an opener.
The Boston Herald’s Michael Silverman reports that manager Alex Cora is toying with the idea of easing his ace back in when he returns from the disabled list.