For the second-straight year, the Boston Red Sox are eagerly anticipating the return of Chris Sale. The seven-time All-Star starting pitcher was absent for the entire 2020 season and most of the 2021 campaign while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he got back on the mound and made nine starts during the stretch run last summer. Over the course of those nine starts, which totaled 42 2/3 innings, Sale looked pretty good, posting a 3.16 ERA and 3.69 FIP while striking out more than 10 batters per nine innings. However, there were still some shortcomings, which made us wonder if we would see vintage Sale in 2022 (or ever again for that matter).
The pros and cons of Chris Sale in the bullpen
