After Missing Time To Flu/Pneumonia, Sale Has To Begin Season On IL

Chris Sale will begin the 2020 season on the injured list, because he was hit with the the flu and pneumonia for two weeks just before spring training began.

Manager Ron Roenicke wants every starting pitcher to make six starts before the regular season. With his missed time, Sale would not have been able to do that.

When we were in that meeting, I said the only thing this hurts is my ego, and that doesn't matter. How can you argue with them just trying to take care of me and do what's best, not only for myself, but for the organization and the team moving forward? They had great points and I didn't. ... I think they just want me to get fully stretched out and get where I need to be. I started two weeks late, so I've got to stay two weeks late. Simple math will tell you that kind of makes sense. You know, do I like it? Absolutely not. Do I respect it? A hundred percent.

Roenicke:

Nothing at all [wrong] with the arm. He's doing really good. We're really happy with where he's at. This is strictly for missing two weeks and then only being able to give him four starts in Spring Training. ... With the sickness, it cost him two weeks' time and that two weeks is what we'd like to give him to make sure he's right. ... We didn't think four starts in Spring Training was fair to him to make him start the season.

Sale will throw live BP for the first time this spring on Saturday.

All you can do is laugh at this point.