Chris Sale pitched two scoreless innings for the Boston Red Sox in the return of the seven-time All-Star after several injury-plagued seasons.
Making his first start in spring training, Sale allowed two hits and struck out two against Detroit on Monday.
“I’m back. Now I appreciate it more,” Sale told The Boston Globe. “I’m trying to have more fun, open my mind, I’m trying to soak things up and appreciate them.”
Sale was one of the most dominant pitchers of the 2010s, but has thrown only 48 1/3 innings since 2019. He missed the entire 2020 season recovering from Tommy John surgery and suffered several injuries the previous season, including a car accident. bike, which kept him off the mound.
Sale, 33, faces the fourth season of his five-year, $145 million deal.
TWO BALKS
Baltimore Orioles right-hander Mychal Givens committed two balks in the fourth inning.
Givens got both balks due to not coming to a complete stop before taking his throw. MLB has warned that umpires will be on the lookout for more balks when runners are on base.
Givens had recorded one balk in 419 regular season appearances.
Some pitchers — especially relievers — have some quirks in their movement, stopping before throwing. Technically that’s balk, but usually umpires let those moves slip.
This is no longer the case. A full stop, no motion is more significant because the shot clock operator turns off the new shot clock once the pitcher is moving toward home plate.
Still, Givens pitched a scoreless inning in relief, striking out two.
POPULAR BRAVES
The Atlanta Braves intend to halt season ticket sales in order to maintain individual game ticket availability.
Braves president Derek Schiller said for the first time in team history they had to halt season ticket sales before the start of the season.
The Braves will stop the sale of season tickets on March 17. The team assured that they are close to reaching the attendance record at Truist Park in 2022, of 3.1 million people.
Atlanta ranked fourth in the majors last season, with an average attendance of 38,461.
“We are now focused on making sure more fans who are going to one or two games can purchase tickets,” Schiller added in a team statement.
The Braves have indicated that the first game at their stadium, on April 6 against San Diego and other big games, are close to being sold out or with waitlist tickets.
