Chris Sale is very well known for being skinny, but he has spent this offseason working to bulk up a little bit.
Chris Sale has been pitching in Major League Baseball since 2010, splitting time between the Chicago White Sox and the Boston Red Sox. One of his most noticeable features, other than his knee-buckling slider that he’s used to obliterate hitters on countless occasions, has been his extremely slender figure.
Despite being one of the most dominant starting pitchers in baseball, often being considered a Cy Young candidate, Sale is well known for his “lankiness.” Last season, heading into his second season with the Red Sox, Sale weighed in at just 180 pounds. His lankiness becomes even more recognizable when you consider that he stands at a fairly towering 6-foot-6.
But finally, heading into his age 30 season and fresh off of winning his first World Series (in which he recorded the final three outs), Sale has spent the offseason working to put a little bit of meat on his bones.
Sale has never had any trouble being a flame-thrower on the mound, but a little extra muscle certainly can’t hurt — especially since Sale spent some time on the disabled list late last season with shoulder inflammation.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora is pleased with the work Sale has put in during the offseason to get in a little better shape.
“He was very aggressive with his offseason workouts,” Cora said, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com. “We’re very pleased with the way he went about it. All of them. It’s good to see him gaining weight and throwing the ball the way he’s been throwing the past few weeks. We’re very comfortable with him.”
Throughout most of his career, in both Chicago and Boston, Sale has had a tendency to wear down late in the baseball season. It has showed during both of his seasons with the Red Sox.
Having worked this offseason to build up strength and increase his endurance, Sale will hopefully be able to avoid any late-season mishaps in 2019.