The Red Sox couldn’t have asked for more from Chris Sale in his return against the Rays on Tuesday.
Sale was resurgent in five innings, allowing just three hits and no runs while striking out five. He worked out of a jam in the third with men on first and second and just one out, and he slammed the door on a rally in the fourth after the Rays got a lead-off double from Isaac Paredes. In a welcome sight for Red Sox fans, his fastball hit 96.9 miles per hour at its top velocity in both the first and fifth innings, per Baseball Savant, and his slider looked lethal again.