For the first time since June, it's a Sale Day for the Red Sox

BOSTON -- For the first time in over two months, it's a Sale Day for the Red Sox. However, this version of a Sale Day will be somewhat limited.

Chris Sale is set to make his return to the Boston rotation Friday night, after being sidelined the last 10 weeks with a shoulder injury. The lefty will get the start against the Tigers as the Red Sox begin a three-game set against Detroit at Fenway Park.

Just don't expect Sale to go very long in his return. The Red Sox don't even expect him to qualify for a potential win, with manager Alex Cora saying that they're hoping to get four innings out of the southpaw Friday evening.

But for a Red Sox team that has been rolling with two "openers" for the last few months, getting another starter back is a pretty big deal.

"Just to have him back, that's huge for us," Cora said Thursday. "And then, you know, we'll keep progressing from there. But to have him [Friday], that's going to be very important for us."

Sale made two rehab starts for Triple-A Worcester over the last two weeks and looked sharp in both, striking out 10 batters over 6.1 innings of scoreless work. But he threw just 89 pitches over those two appearances, so he'll have to build up his pitch count on the fly.

It's difficult to predict what the 34-year-old will do the rest of the way this season, or if he'll stay healthy. Sale looked strong before getting hurt, going 4-0 with a 2.23 ERA and a .172 batting average against in his five starts before suffering the injury. He is 5-2 with a 4.58 ERA for Boston this season.

If nothing else, Sale's return should give the team a bit of a jolt, as the Red Sox look to make a push for an AL wild card spot.