Red Sox place Chris Sale on IL with left shoulder inflammation

BOSTON—The Red Sox placed left-hander Chris Sale on the injured list with shoulder inflammation on Friday, another setback for the seven-time All-Star as he attempts to re-establish himself as a reliable member of the rotation.

“It’s just kind of a gut punch,” Sale told reporters before Friday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays. “I hate feeling like this. I started having fun playing baseball again. And now, back to not having fun. That sucks.”

Red Sox sign Sale to 5-year, $145M extension

Left-hander Chris Sale has signed a five-year contract extension with the Boston Red Sox, team president Dave Dombrowski announced Saturday.

The five-year deal is worth $145 million, league sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan, and includes an opt-out after three years, a vesting sixth-year option based on stats worth at least $20 million and a no-trade clause beginning in the middle of the 2020 season.

The deal adds to Sale’s current contract (one year remaining) and will go through the 2024 season, with Sale making $30 million annually in the first three seasons and $27.5 million annually in the final two, league sources told Passan.

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