All You Need To Know About Chris Sale
BOSTON (CBS) -- If there's one thing we know about Chris Sale, he's a pretty amazing pitcher.
We also know that he will now slot into the front of the Boston rotation in 2017, after the Red Sox reportedly sent a collection of prospects to Chicago for the lefty ace.
Sale has been in the spotlight as one of the top pitchers in all of baseball over the last five years, but there's plenty for you to learn about Boston's new front-end starter:
- Sale is a dominant lefty with an unorthodox sidearm delivery. His arsenal features a fastball in the mid-90s, a changeup and a filthy slider (his go-to pitch for punch outs).
- Over his seven-year MLB career, the 6-foot-6 Sale has a 74-50 record with a 3.00 ERA and 1,244 strikeouts over 1,110 innings.
- A Lakeland, Florida native, Sale went to Florida Gulf Coast for three years, compiling a 20-4 record, a 2.52 ERA and 293 strikeouts over 228.2 innings pitched.
- Sale was drafted 13th overall by the White Sox in 2010 and made his Major League debut that August, coming out of the bullpen for Chicago. He made 21 appearances as a rookie, going 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA, four saves and 32 strikeouts over 23.1 innings.
- The lefty was back in the bullpen for the 2011 season, compiling a 2-2 record and eight saves to go with a 2.79 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 58 appearances.
- Sale made his transition to the starting rotation in 2012, and he did not disappoint. He went 17-8 with a 3.05 ERA and 192 strikeouts in 192 innings pitched. He earned his first All-Star nod that season, allowing two hits in an inning of work in the Midsummer Classic.
- After signing a five-year extension with the White Sox ahead of the 2013 season, Sale made 30 starts and led the league with four complete games. He finished with just 11 wins due to low run support, but struck out 226 over 214.1 innings to go with a 3.07 ERA. He was the winning pitcher in the All-Star game, tossing two scoreless innings while striking out two.
- His 2.17 ERA in 2014 was the second-best in the AL.
- After starting the 2015 season on the DL with a foot injury, Sale finished the season with an AL-leading 274 strikeouts to set a new White Sox franchise record. He struck out 10 or more batters in 12 straight starts that season.
- Sale finished his 2016 season at 17-10 with a 3.34 ERA, striking out 233 batters in 226.2 innings and his six complete games led the American League. He started the All-Star game for the American League after going 14-3 over the first half of the season.
- Sale is a perennial All-Star, making the AL roster five times in his seven years, and is always in the conversation for the AL Cy Young Award. He hasn't won the award (yet), but has finished no lower than sixth in the voting in every season since 2012.
- For his career, Sale is 1-1 with a 3.63 ERA (nine earned runs over 22.1 innings) and 23 Ks at Fenway Park.
- An important stat to Red Sox fans: Sale is 4-1 with a 1.17 ERA in 10 career games (seven starts) against the Yankees.
- Sale won't turn 28 until March and is signed through the 2019 season. He is set to make $12 million in 2017, $12.5 million in 2018 (club option) and $15 million in 2019 (club option), according to Spotrac.com.
- He's not a big fan of wearing throwback uniforms. He refused to wear a throwback for one of his schedule starts last season, and cut up all the jerseys in the clubhouse prior to the game. The White Sox suspended him for five games for the incident.
- Sale is an alumnus of the Cape Code Baseball League, pitching for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in 2009. He was named Outstanding Pitcher of the Year after going 4-2 with a 1.47 ERA and won MVP of the Cape Cod All-Star Game that season.
