Here's what manager Robin Ventura expects in Chris Sale's return Thursday
Barring a last-minute organizational decision to wear throwback uniforms tonight against the Cubs, White Sox ace Chris Sale will be back on the mound for the first time since July 18.
Sale, of course, has been suspended since Saturday when he objected so strongly to wearing the promotional throwback uniforms that he proceeded to cut them up with scissors prior to game time.
So what can we expect today?
“I think it’s going to be fine,” manager Robin Ventura said, via the Chicago Tribune. “Players always have their teammates’ backs, and that’s no different with our clubhouse. It’s going to be fairly normal, as far as he’s going to be prepared to pitch and our guys are going to prepare to play and it’s going to go from there.”
Yes, that’s the same Ventura on whom Sale seemed to put some of the blame for the incident earlier this week when he said he didn’t regret the stance he took Saturday.
Incidentally, the White Sox have won four of five games since that outburst, so maybe Sale lit a fire under the club that has been lacking for weeks.
Still, it won’t hurt to have Sale (14-3, 3.18 ERA, 129 strikeouts) back on the hill.
In fact, White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton told the Chicago Tribune that the team will welcome back the All-Star lefty with “open arms.”
