McCutchen, Pirates seek fast start against Red Sox, Sale (Apr 05, 2017)
BOSTON -- When Chris Sale takes the mound at Fenway Park for the first time as a member of the Red Sox on Wednesday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he will quickly learn a lesson: Boston fans will rally around success; they won't accept failure.
The Pirates are hoping star right fielder Andrew McCutchen has the same mindset on not accepting failure. He followed up a tumultuous offseason with an 0-for-4 performance with three strikeouts, including one with the bases loaded in the seventh inning, in Pittsburgh's season-opening loss at Boston on Monday.
"We all want to go out and have five hits in the Opening Day game, of course, but it's baseball," McCutchen told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "Sometimes, it ain't going to happen. It's the first game of the season. You learn from it and you get ready for the next one."
Sale appears ready to embrace the new challenge in Boston.
"From the first phone call with Chris when we acquired him, the way he spoke about the opportunity here, I know (Wednesday) is a day that he's certainly looking forward to," Red Sox manager John Farrell said.
Sale, acquired from the Chicago White Sox in the blockbuster deal of the offseason last December, brings a championship pedigree to Boston -- except without the actual championship.
The five-time All-Star and 2015 AL strikeouts leader has established himself as one of the game's top pitchers in his first seven seasons, going 74-50 with 3.00 ERA and 1,244 strikeouts.
His final year in Chicago was no different: Sale tied a career-high with 17 victories (17-10) and posted a 3.34 ERA with 233 punch outs in 32 starts last season.
McCutchen, a former National League MVP, played his first game in right field on Opening Day since moving from center during the offseason. Before Monday, McCutchen had never played any other position in the field in 1,190 games.
McCutchen's offseason was clouded by trade rumors after a sharp decline in production last year. On Monday, he deflected a question about his emotions surrounding what could be his final Opening Day with Pittsburgh.
"I'm just thankful to see another Opening Day," McCutchen told the Tribune-Review.
Pittsburgh was stymied for the first six innings in Monday's opener before the bats came alive. The Pirates scored three in the seventh and put two runners on in the ninth before coming up short.
Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli doubled in the opener to spark the rally in the seventh and finished 1-for-3 with a walk and a run. He owns the highest batting average at Fenway among active players with a minimum of 40 at-bats at .422 (19-for-45).
Sale is 1-1 with a 3.63 ERA in six career appearances (three starts) at Fenway. He has never faced the Pirates, but David Freese is 1-for-3 lifetime against Sale.
Cervelli (0-for-2, walk, two strikeouts) and Chris Stewart (0-for-2) have also faced Sale.
Jameson Taillon counters Sale as he looks to build on a strong rookie season. The former No. 2 overall draft pick in 2010 went 5-4 with a 3.38 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 18 starts.
Taillon has never faced the Red Sox but is 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA in two career interleague starts.
