Chris Sale strikes out three over two innings for WooSox in first rehab start

BOSTON -- Chris Sale is on a path back to the Red Sox. The Boston lefty began his minor league rehab assignment on Tuesday night, going two innings for the Worcester Red Sox in Syracuse. 

Sale, who has been on the IL since July 2 with shoulder discomfort, was scheduled to go three innings against the minor league Mets in his first rehab outing. But he hit his 40-pitch allotment by the end of the second, ending his night early.

While he had some issues with his command, Sale threw 26 of his 40 pitches for strikes and hit 96 mph on the radar gun. He struck out three batters -- two swinging and one looking -- and walked two, allowing no runs off one hit.

Boston manager Alex Cora was impressed by Sale's velocity in his first game since June 1, but had some question's about the southpaw's control.

"All over the place. I was watching," Cora said of Sale's outing after Boston's win over the Mariners in Seattle. "I called [trainer Brad Pearson] and I was like, 'Hey man, this guy is throwing 95, 96. What's going on here?' But he feels good about his mechanics. Feels good about his arm. Now it's a matter of, you know, harness the stuff in the strike zone. The line wasn't great, I guess, but he got his repetitions."  

"I've got some things to work on but I feel like it's a good start to build off of," Sale said after his outing.

Sale will make at least one more rehab start with the WooSox on Sunday, and depending on how that outing goes, he could rejoin the Red Sox sometime next week.

The 34-year-old was 5-2 with a 4.58 ERA over 11 starts before landing on the IL this season.