The long and short of the Chris Sale situation

Jim Monaghan
Content Coordinator

It was Red Sox Nation's version of looking for smoke from the Vatican.

Photo courtesy of the Boston Red Sox
With Chris Sale in Florida to visit the renowned Dr. James Andrews, Boston fans held their collective breath awaiting word on the severity of Sale's left elbow injury which had put the pitcher on the ten-day injured list.

In the long run, the news from Andrews was good - no Tommy John surgery would be needed.

In the short term, we've probably seen the last of Sale in 2019 as he's expected to be shut down for the next six weeks.

In a statement released by the Red Sox Monday afternoon, Dave Dombrowksi said, “Dr. Andrews confirmed that Sale has inflammation in his left elbow and treated it with a platelet-rich plasma injection. Dr. Andrews also recommended a period of shutdown from throwing. Sale will be re-evaluated in six weeks by Dr. Andrews.”

Given that timetable, it's unlikely that Sale would even be able to pitch in the postseason, should the Red Sox actually make it to that point.

Tommy John surgery would most certainly have ended Sale's 2019 season and the recovery would have likely gone deep into the 2020 season.

The Red Sox still have not named a starting pitcher for Tuesday night's game against the Phillies at Fenway Park.


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