ATLANTA (AP) — Chris Sale was hesitant to discuss how good he’s feeling after another strong start for the Atlanta Braves.
“I wish you guys would stop talking about it,” he admonished reporters with a smile, tapping the table he was sitting at. “Is this thing made of wood?”
It’s understandable that Sale wouldn’t want to jinx himself after all the injuries he endured with the Boston Red Sox.
Once one of the game’s most dominant pitchers, the guy with the funky motion and nasty stuff, Sale managed just 31 starts over the past four seasons, spending far more time in the training room than he did on the mound.
Desperate for starting pitching, the Braves decided to take a chance on the 35-year-old left-hander, acquiring him from the Red Sox in late December for prospect Vaughn Grissom.
So far, so good.
Sale (3-1) allowed just two hits over seven innings in a 6-2 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday night — marking the third start in a row that he’s gone that far.
If that doesn’t sound all that impressive, consider this : It’s the first time since June 19-30, 2018, that Sale has lasted seven innings over three consecutive appearances.