It's been nearly eight months since Chris Sale last pitched for the Boston Red Sox, when he took a loss in Game 5 of the 2021 American League Championship Series.
As Sale works his way back from a series of ailments, the latest a freak injury to his rib cage suffered during spring training, manager Alex Cora appears encouraged by the most recent step towards returning to the majors.
Cora said that hitters were impressed with how the seven-time All-Star looked during a live batting practice session at Fenway Park, as Sale sat around 94-95 mph with his fastball and a solid changeup to accompany it.
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"I don't know what's next, we'll sit down today and map it out, but that was a lot better than last year," Cora said.
Sale underwent Tommy John surgery prior to the abbreviated 2020 season and didn't return until last August, when he went 5-1 with a 3.16 earned run average over nine starts.
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"We've just got to be patient," Cora said. "I know everybody is excited, never seen a live BP with so much coverage, but it was good to see. It's always good to see him on the mound and we know he's going to contribute."
Cora said on Wednesday that whenever the 33-year-old lefthander is ready to return, he sees him in the starting rotation.