Red Sox's Chris Sale on 60-Day IL, Shoulder Injury Diagnosed as Stress Reaction

Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale has been transferred to the 60-day injured list because of a stress reaction in his shoulder blade, according to MassLive's Sean McAdam.

Sale, who was initially placed on the IL last week with what was deemed left shoulder inflammation, will be reevaluated in three to four weeks.

Sale hasn't pitched since exiting a June 1 start against the Cincinnati Reds after 3.2 innings.

"It's just kind of a gut punch," Sale told reporters of his latest IL stint on June 2. "I hate feeling like this. I started having fun playing baseball again. And now, back to not having fun. That sucks."

The 34-year-old had put together an up-and-down season before hitting the shelf, posting a 5-2 record with a 4.58 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 71 strikeouts in 59 innings across 11 starts.

The Red Sox acquired Sale in a blockbuster trade with the Chicago White Sox ahead of the 2017 season.

The deal looked like a steal for the BoSox over Sale's first three seasons in town as he helped the club claim the 2018 World Series title. The franchise went on to reward him with a five-year, $145 million extension in 2019.

Things took a turn for the worse following Sale's new deal.

He missed the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign and part of the 2021 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He returned from surgery in August 2021 and started nine games.

Sale then began the 2022 season on the 60-day injured list after suffering a right rib stress fracture before spring training. He returned in July but started just two games before fracturing his left pinkie finger and being sidelined indefinitely.

The Red Sox then revealed in August that Sale underwent surgery on his broken wrist, which he suffered during a bicycle accident. He missed the remainder of the 2022 campaign.

The Florida native returned in 2023 and had been mostly healthy until his latest IL stint.

With Sale's injuries continuing to pile up, the extension Boston gave him in 2019 continues to look worse.

The Red Sox can decline his club option for 2025, which would make him a free agent.

The Red Sox sit last in the American League East with a 31-32 record, 14 games back of the first-place Tampa Bay Rays.