Chris Sale Close To Signing Contract Extension (The Deal Is Done: 5/145)

Second Update: Sale pitched five shutout innings yesterday in his second and final spring start. His numbers: 9 innings, 4 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 13 strikeouts, 29 batters faced. ... He seems ready.

Update: The deal is done. Five years (2020-2024) and $145 million, with a possible opt-out after three years.

2020 - $30.0M
2021 - $30.0M
2022 - $30.0M
2023 - $27.5M
2024 - $27.5M

The Red Sox and Chris Sale are close to an agreement on a contract extension, according to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. Sale, who turns 30 years old on March 30, could be a free agent after this season.

ESPN's Jeff Passan tweeted that "league sources" tell him the deal "is likely to be in the five-year, $150 million range".

Sale makes his second and final spring training appearance tonight; he threw four shutout innings with seven strikeouts last Saturday.

In two years with the Red Sox, Sale has a 2.56 ERA in 59 starts and has averaged 1.9 walks and 13.2 strikeouts per nine innings. In 2017, Sale led the American League with 214.1 innings pitched, but threw only 158 innings last year, missing time in August and September.