Amid the suspension of the MLB due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chris Sale underwent Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow and is slated to miss the remainder of the season. Since the Red Sox blew up the offseason by trading Mookie Betts and David Price to the Dodgers, this current season seemed like a re-tooling year. Sale, who missed a portion of last season due to elbow soreness, seemed to suffer a minor setback in spring training.
Therefore, it's no surprise that the Red Sox and Sale reached this decision since the MLB's season is currently suspended until further notice. However, once baseball is back up and running, the Sale injury will have a ripple effect on the organization. Pitchers, prospects and position players will have to change their outlook on the upcoming season, if there is one.
Eduardo Rodriguez will be thrusted into the ace role
Coming off a breakout year where he notched 19 wins, Rodriguez will now be the No. 1 starter for the Red Sox. His surprise season was a bright spot in an otherwise bleak season for Boston, and many beat writers are predicting another solid year from the 26-year-old left hander. This season, Eddie will be the leader for the pitching staff and must impress under the inevitable pressure he will receive from the Red Sox faithful. I don't believe that Rodriguez will repeat his 2019 season, but he will continue to be an above-average starter in 2020.
More prospects on the Major League roster
Other than the vacant ace role, Sale's injury will open up an extra rotation spot for the plethora of minor leaguers who are seeking some big league playing time.
According the FanGraphs, Ryan Weber is projected to fill the final rotation spot. Weber appeared in 18 games last season and posted a 5.09 ERA with 29 strikeouts. Those numbers don't jump off the page, but Weber is an intriguing player to watch. He utilizes a fastball with slower velocity that fools hitters and uses his precision to record outs. Another interesting prospect to watch for is Tanner Houck, who is expected to make his debut this season and could very well become a starter down the line.
Starting lineup: Retooling year?
Due to the absence of Sale, the outlook on the season becomes bleaker. It seems very likely that the front office will retool this year and ship some veterans, such as Mitch Moreland, to contenders and in turn receive highly-touted prospects.
Manager Ron Reinecke will most likely be dealing with a prospect-heavy lineup this season that could include the likes of Bobby Dalbec, C.J. Chatham, Jonathan Arauz and Marcus Wilson. Some fringe lineup players may receive less playing time as the Sox could use this season as a dress rehearsal for many of their prospects.
In short, Chris Sale's injury leaves a giant void on the Red Sox roster. This season was already a lost cause after the Betts trade, and the current situation is just adding insult to injury. Red Sox Nation might be in for a long and frustrating season, whenever it begins.
