Why MLB Writer Counts Chris Sale Among Potential 'Difference-Makers' In 2021

Did Red Sox's Xander Bogaerts Get Booed During MLB All-Star Game Introductions?. Hype surrounding Chris Sale's return to action isn't confined to Red Sox Nation. MLB.com's Will Leitch on Wednesday counted the Red Sox ace among injured stars poised to make the biggest impact in the second half of the 2021 season. Sale underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2020 and has working his way back slowly and diligently behind the scenes, and the Red Sox are so determined not to rush him back they have yet to announce a timetable or date for his return. However, anticipation over Sale's comeback is ramping up after the Red Sox assigned him to the Florida Complex League for his first rehab start Thursday.