The glass is half-full AND half-empty for the Boston Red Sox.
The good news? Ace Chris Sale is set to return to the rotation after missing all of the 2020 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Per The Athletic:
On Saturday, Sale completed his fifth rehab start, throwing 4 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out eight for Triple-A Worcester. He threw 89 pitches, 59 for strikes. In his five rehab starts, Sale posted a 1.35 ERA with 35 strikeouts and five walks over 20 innings in the Florida Complex League and twice each for Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester.
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Sale is set to start Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles. As for slugger Kyle Schwarber, the news isn’t as good.
Sources confirmed that Schwarber has suffered a minor setback with left groin tightness in the midst of his rehab from a right hamstring strain. Schwarber ramped up his progression running and fielding this week while the team was in Detroit but felt tightness in his left groin, so the Red Sox have lowered his activity level as a precaution.
The Red Sox traded with the Washington Nationals for Schwarber ahead of the July 30 deadline.
Boston just completed a horrible 2-8 road trip which saw them surrender first place to the Tampa Bay Rays. The Red Sox sit four games behind the Rays in the American League East and only 2.5 games ahead of the third-place New York Yankees.
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