Chris Sale aiming to return

amfox1

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Aug 6, 2003
6,808
The back of your computer
Reading something online from a hospital for distal ORIF:

2 weeks follow-up for x-rays,
4 weeks cast or removable brace,
motion exercises (with or without removable brace) after 6 weeks,
strengthening exercises after 3 months.

Generally, no activity restrictions after 3 months, assuming no pain and full motion.
 

amfox1

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Aug 6, 2003
6,808
The back of your computer
Christopher Geary
@ChrisGearyOrtho

4m

Replying to @ChrisCotillo
This means it was a displaced/unstable fracture, so they had to open it, put it back into alignment and fix it with hardware - hence the “open reduction internal fixation”. This aligns the bone and allows it to heal but doesn’t make the healing any faster

Christopher Geary
@ChrisGearyOrtho

2m

Replying to @ChrisCotillo
I don’t think he’ll be able to throw for about six weeks - he can simulate the throwing motion and keep his shoulder strong but probably at least 4-6 weeks until he is allowed to pick up a ball. Given that he wasn’t stretched out before, I doubt he’ll be good to go this year
 

Archer1979

shazowies
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
7,872
Right Here
Here’s a question - can’t you throw most pitches without your pinky being on the ball?
I broke my pinkie finger pitching fast pitch softball. First inning of the game and didn't think anything of it since it was swollen to the point it was numb. Pithed the rest of the game.

Swelling went down and couldn't throw for about four weeks just due to the pain. Every time the arm extended and let go of the ball, I thought the finger was going to just take off with it.

This was a relatively minor injury for me. I imagine Sale has pins and sutures which would just snap from the torque of trying to throw as hard as he could to be an effective major league pitcher.
 

doc

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
4,476
Maybe he could have gone the Ronnie Lott route and have it amputated and become the modern Mordecai 3 finger Brown
 

catsooey

New Member
Jun 27, 2019
161
I bet the Globe doesn't give @DaveRoberts'Shoes 10 bucks for his info
This. Mid-September? Are they nuts. Maybe he can do some early physical therapy by then, but this is a season-ending injury. I heard Lou Merloni today playing it down, saying “you don’t even need your pinky to throw most pitches!” Ridiculous. Your pinky is connected to your palm and fingers by ligaments that need a full healthy range of movement. I broke my pinky pretty bad while riding bmx back in ‘89. I fell on my hand with full body weight and bent my pinky back. Luckily it was a softer loam I was jumping on, but I still broke it pretty bad. It didn’t really hurt until later, but my entire hand was out of commission for at least a month. And Chris’ break is on a whole different level of seriousness.
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,376
Yeah I’m no doctor but I’m just writing the rest of the season off for him. So frustrating as I’ve been counting on his return to bolster the staff at least somewhat.

Lots of pressure on Pivetta to get his act together. He’s been terrible his last three starts and now they need him to step up in a huge way the rest of the season.
 

Mueller's Twin Grannies

critical thinker
SoSH Member
Dec 19, 2009
9,386
He has two seasons left to live up to his contract and that 2025 year is probably not going to vest (no way he finishes Top 10 in the CYA voting in 2024).

He CAN opt out after this season, but likely won't. And he has a full no-trade clause through 2024.

A couple silver linings in that dark cloud.
 

Smiling Joe Hesketh

Throw Momma From the Train
Moderator
SoSH Member
May 20, 2003
35,734
Deep inside Muppet Labs
He has two seasons left to live up to his contract and that 2025 year is probably not going to vest (no way he finishes Top 10 in the CYA voting in 2024).

He CAN opt out after this season, but likely won't. And he has a full no-trade clause through 2024.

A couple silver linings in that dark cloud.
I think next year the Sox will reach the Sunk Cost limit if he's still unable to pitch or can only pitch ineffectively. I can't see them hanging on to 2024 with him if he's not healthy.
 

walt in maryland

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
223
Woodbine, MD
He has two seasons left to live up to his contract and that 2025 year is probably not going to vest (no way he finishes Top 10 in the CYA voting in 2024).

He CAN opt out after this season, but likely won't. And he has a full no-trade clause through 2024.

A couple silver linings in that dark cloud.
He's pitched just over 50 innings since 2019. Zero chance he opts out this winter. The Sox would throw a party if he did.
 

Archer1979

shazowies
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
7,872
Right Here
I think next year the Sox will reach the Sunk Cost limit if he's still unable to pitch or can only pitch ineffectively. I can't see them hanging on to 2024 with him if he's not healthy.
The Sox could go old school on him and keep him on the roster but having him sell hot dogs in the bleachers but the real cost is the roster spot.

I'd be pleasantly surprised if he returned to pre-2018 form bot I have no expectations that's going to happen. His real value is not going to be based on what he contributes vs what he's paid, but rather who is he blocking and is that better or worse than what he will contribute.

One thing in looking up his salary the other day is he gets $10MM a year for five years starting in 2035. Is that above and beyond (kind of like BONUS) or does that basically come out of what we think he's already getting paid?
 

joe dokes

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
30,243
I'm more interested in the potential for permanent effects with an injury like this. He's not an offensive tackle. He needs "normal" fingers. Or maybe a crooked finger will help him throw a new pitch into his dotage.
 

Petagine in a Bottle

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 13, 2021
11,922
I don’t understand the concern of him taking up a roster spot if he’s hurt. If he’s injured and can’t play, he will be on the 60-day DL (like Pedroia was for years) and doesn’t count against the 40-man. Total non issue.
 

Archer1979

shazowies
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
7,872
Right Here
I don’t understand the concern of him taking up a roster spot if he’s hurt. If he’s injured and can’t play, he will be on the 60-day DL (like Pedroia was for years) and doesn’t count against the 40-man. Total non issue.
The roster spot concern is for after the finger heals and he will be relatively healthy and off the IL. First impact of this is that his spot exposes one more prospect to the Rule 5 Draft.
 

trekfan55

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Oct 29, 2004
11,587
Panama
He's pitched just over 50 innings since 2019. Zero chance he opts out this winter. The Sox would throw a party if he did.
Wait, so the opt out is better for the team? Sorry could not resist.

In all serousness, Having Sale and Eovaldi back meant a lot for the Sox heading into the All Star Break, They are handling the dreaded part of the schedule horribly but still have a fighting chance.

This deal is turning into the worst contract ever, even if some of it is not his fault.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 23, 2009
20,676
Maine
I don’t understand the concern of him taking up a roster spot if he’s hurt. If he’s injured and can’t play, he will be on the 60-day DL (like Pedroia was for years) and doesn’t count against the 40-man. Total non issue.
I think in a case like Pedroia's, the roster issue was during the off-season when there is no 60-day IL and he had to be on the 40-man roster. That can have implications on things like adding Rule 5 eligible players for protection or making room for a free agent signing. But I don't think the concern with Sale is what to do if he's chronically or permanently injured, it's what to do if the accumulation of injuries, this finger thing in particular, makes him a "healthy" but ineffective pitcher going forward.

Wait, so the opt out is better for the team? Sorry could not resist.

In all serousness, Having Sale and Eovaldi back meant a lot for the Sox heading into the All Star Break, They are handling the dreaded part of the schedule horribly but still have a fighting chance.

This deal is turning into the worst contract ever, even if some of it is not his fault.
I'd say none of it is technically his fault. Injuries happen. I think you're more looking for some of it wasn't predictable. The elbow injury and needing Tommy John was arguably predictable. It's a genuine concern for all pitchers but with his build and pitching motion, it seemed inevitable (and it was). No one can predict a cracked rib or a finger getting smashed by a line drive. Those are flukes no one has the power to prevent.
 

Lose Remerswaal

Experiencing Furry Panic
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member

trekfan55

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Oct 29, 2004
11,587
Panama
1. I think in a case like Pedroia's, the roster issue was during the off-season when there is no 60-day IL and he had to be on the 40-man roster. That can have implications on things like adding Rule 5 eligible players for protection or making room for a free agent signing. But I don't think the concern with Sale is what to do if he's chronically or permanently injured, it's what to do if the accumulation of injuries, this finger thing in particular, makes him a "healthy" but ineffective pitcher going forward.



2. I'd say none of it is technically his fault. Injuries happen. I think you're more looking for some of it wasn't predictable. The elbow injury and needing Tommy John was arguably predictable. It's a genuine concern for all pitchers but with his build and pitching motion, it seemed inevitable (and it was). No one can predict a cracked rib or a finger getting smashed by a line drive. Those are flukes no one has the power to prevent.
Added numbers

To #1. If they plan to use him on 2023 (and well they should) then the roster spot is not "wasted" At some point Pedroia's spot was "wasted" but maybe there was no real Rule 5 crunch then.

To #2. I agree that no injury is the guy's fault per se. Unless of course he does something stupid like ride a dirt bike, or play with a drone and cut his hand open. No one can predict this, least of all a 100 MPH batted ball hitting his finger, but in real terms, it is another wasted year.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
70,731

Harry Hooper

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jan 4, 2002
34,370
I'm more interested in the potential for permanent effects with an injury like this. He's not an offensive tackle. He needs "normal" fingers. Or maybe a crooked finger will help him throw a new pitch into his dotage.
Didn't Bob Stanley claim his pitches had more movement after he recovered from mangling his pitching hand in the trashbag mishap?
 

KiltedFool

has a terminal case of creeping sharia
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2005
2,400
Didn't Bob Stanley claim his pitches had more movement after he recovered from mangling his pitching hand in the trashbag mishap?
Bob Wickman claimed his sinker was much more effective because he was missing the tip of his index finger, having got it sliced in a fan as a child.
 

Apisith

Member
SoSH Member
Oct 19, 2007
3,208
Bangkok
Christopher Geary
@ChrisGearyOrtho

4m

Replying to @ChrisCotillo
This means it was a displaced/unstable fracture, so they had to open it, put it back into alignment and fix it with hardware - hence the “open reduction internal fixation”. This aligns the bone and allows it to heal but doesn’t make the healing any faster

Christopher Geary
@ChrisGearyOrtho

2m

Replying to @ChrisCotillo
I don’t think he’ll be able to throw for about six weeks - he can simulate the throwing motion and keep his shoulder strong but probably at least 4-6 weeks until he is allowed to pick up a ball. Given that he wasn’t stretched out before, I doubt he’ll be good to go this year
He played catch yesterday. Does that accelerate his timeline for return? It’s 3 weeks since his injury. Possible that he’s back by the end of August?
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
24,376
The goal at this point should be for the Sox to have Paxton and Sale fully up and running for 2023, as in, as healthy as they are ever going to be, "best shape of their careers" kind of readiness. To go into 2023 with those two guys healthy and ready to roll will be enormous for their rotation next year, because even if neither of them ever gets back to what they were at their very best, in the least they should be *good* major league pitchers, and this team needs as many good major league pitchers as possible.
 

Apisith

Member
SoSH Member
Oct 19, 2007
3,208
Bangkok
If there isn’t enough time to get him enough innings to be a starting pitcher then he should get one or two relief appearances in the minors and come up. He can fulfill a similar role to Whitlock (1-2 clean innings) and give Cora a much better option. Middle relief is our biggest weakness anyway, 4-6 innings a week from Sale in that role would be great.
 

Jed Zeppelin

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 23, 2008
51,291
This thread title badly needs a snarky update.

If this season is Catch-22, Chris Sale is Orr.
 

The Napkin

wise ass al kaprielian
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 13, 2002
28,535
right here
honest to God when I saw he was throwing I was going to start a "what injury does Sale suffer next" thread. I thought I had at least a week or 2 to do so. Joke's on me I guess.