Red Sox's Chris Sale Using Arm Injury Rehab to Prepare to Play 10 More Years

Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale is 31 years old and recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he is eyeing his rehab as an opportunity to play for 10 more years.

Alexandra Francisco of NESN shared Sale's comments:

"This is the first time I've gone that long without playing. I get to get my body in shape to do this for another 10 years. I got 10 years in the big leagues and my body broke down. Now I build it back and go. That's the way I'm looking at it.

"You only get one rehab chance. I only have one shot to rehab my arm and do it the right way. If I'm doing that reluctantly or in a negative way or if I come in with a bad attitude, it's just going to suck. And I've heard those stories. I've heard, 'this is miserable.' I've had none of that because I think my mindset, who I'm around and who I have in my corner have helped not make this miserable."

Sale has not pitched in a game since August 2019 and opened up about his decision to hold off on Tommy John surgery for six months.

He admitted he should have gotten the procedure right away instead of trying a platelet-rich plasma injection given the benefit of hindsight, but he also stood by the decision because it helped answer any lingering questions he may have had.

"So I wouldn't change any of that because I would have more questions now because I didn't (try to avoid surgery)," he said. "If you just get Tommy John just to get Tommy John, I would question myself a lot. Now I have no questions. Now I definitely know this was the route I had to go, and I'm cool with that. I sleep fine at night."

The southpaw plan to start a throwing program by late August or early September.

Boston is 6-12 this year and sits in last place in the American League East. It also missed the playoffs last year with a third-place finish and traded Mookie Betts and David Price this past offseason.

It represents quite the fall from the 2018 World Series title.

Having a healthy Sale figures to be key if the Red Sox are going to bounce back in 2021. The seven-time All-Star who finished in the top six of Cy Young voting in seven straight years from 2012 through 2018 can still be one of the best pitchers in the league if he returns to his pre-injury form.