Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale does NOT need to undergo Tommy John surgery, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Sale, 30, was placed on the 10-day injured list this past Saturday due to left elbow inflammation. The move was retroactive to August 14th.
Along with Sox head athletic trainer Brad Pearson, Sale traveled to Pensacola, Fla. on Monday to receive a second opinion on his elbow from Dr. James Andrews after undergoing an MRI on Saturday.
When Dr. Andrews’ name is brought up in these scenarios, bad news usually ensues, but this time around, the knee, elbow, and shoulder specialist confirmed the initial diagnosis of inflammation in Sale’s throwing elbow.
Through 25 starts this season, Sale has posted an ERA of 4.40 and batting average against of .221 to go along with 218 strikeouts over 147 1/3 innings pitched. That includes an outing in which he punched out 12 to surpass the 2,000 mark for his career in his last time out before hitting the IL against the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday.
According to MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith, an official statement from the Red Sox pertaining to Monday’s events will be released shortly, so stay tuned for that.
