\n\n”,”providerName”:”Twitter”,”providerUrl”:”https://twitter.com”,”thumbnail_url”:null,”type”:”oembed”,”width”:550,”contentType”:”rich”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”While being a great leader and teammate will provide value, the Braves need Sale to overcome the health struggles he’s dealt with the past four seasons. The veteran pitcher’s elbow began bothering him late in the 2019 season and he had Tommy John surgery the following year, returned during the latter part of 2021 and then spent the next year riddled with misfortune.\n\nSale suffered a right rib stress fracture while throwing live batting practice at Florida Gulf Coast University. He fractured a finger when he was hit with a comebacker later that year. Then, while on the injured list, he fell off his bike and broke his wrist.\n\nJust when it seemed like things were moving in the right direction last year, Sale missed two months with a shoulder ailment. But he gained encouragement as he posted a 3.92 ERA in the nine starts he made after rejoining Boston’s rotation in August.”,”type”:”text”},{“__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2023-08-29T02:56:24.535Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({\”preferredPlaybacks\”:\”mp4AvcPlayback\”})”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-08/28/269baebe-49074c30-20e167ae-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”type”:”video”,”description”:”Chris Sale takes the mound against the Astros, striking out six batters across 4 2/3 innings of work”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”duration”:”00:00:55″,”slug”:”chris-sale-strikes-out-six-astros”,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”GameTag”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-111″,”title”:”Boston Red Sox”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:111″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-519242″,”title”:”Chris Sale”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:519242″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”highlight-reel-starting-pitching”,”title”:”highlight reel starting pitching”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”pitching”,”title”:”pitching”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”in-game-highlight”,”title”:”in-game highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”highlight”,”title”:”highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”game-action-tracking”,”title”:”game action tracking”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”eclat-feed”,”title”:”Eclat feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”fan-duel”,”title”:”Fan Duel”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”international-feed”,”title”:”International Partner feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/{formatInstructions}/mlb/f0bixg1axhvh3qu5koxt”},”title”:”Chris Sale strikes out six Astros”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/chris-sale-strikes-out-six-astros”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”Consequently, Sale went through this winter without any limitations. This was the first time he did that since the winter that followed him helping the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series. He has thrown bullpen sessions on a regular basis and regained the regular joy that existed before the injury bug struck.\n\n“I love to compete, and baseball is fun again,” Sale said. “I’m really excited for this opportunity. It’s been a while since I’ve had the whole package of finishing healthy, having a normal offseason and coming into Spring Training healthy. So, all those things and being a little bit older and slightly smarter and with the staff here and the people I’m surrounded by, it’s going to give me the best opportunity I’ve had in a long time.”\n\nBecause Sale completed just 102 2/3 innings last year, he isn’t going to have the workload necessary to compete for a Cy Young Award this year. Instead, the focus will be…
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