Chris Sale Says 1st Start vs. White Sox Will Be a 'Fun Time'

Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale is looking forward to his first appearance against his old team. 

The left-hander is expected to start Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox, where he spent the first seven years of his career before being traded this offseason.

"A little of me will be [nervous], but I think I'm more looking forward to this opportunity than any other emotion just because it's fun," Sale said of the upcoming game, per Scott Lauber of ESPN.

"I'm playing against my friends," he added. "It might be hard not to smile out there on the mound at a couple of them. It's fun. These are my buddies. It's going to be a fun atmosphere and a fun time."

The White Sox honored their former pitcher with a video on the scoreboard. Sale responded with a tip of the cap to the crowd, via the team's Twitter account:

Sale went to the All-Star game in each of the last five seasons, finishing in the top six of the Cy Young voting each year. He posted a 74-50 record with a 3.00 ERA in his time in Chicago.

Although the Red Sox gave up four players in exchange for Sale, including top prospect Yoan Moncada, the 28-year-old has lived up to expectations through the first two months with his new team.

In 10 starts, he has a 5-2 record, a 2.34 ERA and a league-leading 101 strikeouts.