The COVID-19 outbreak in the Boston Red Sox clubhouse is not over, as ace Chris Sale will miss at least his next start after testing positive for the illness.
Sale, who will have to sit out a minimum of 10 days under MLB protocols, was scheduled to start against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.
He is the 10th Boston player since Aug. 27 to test positive for COVID-19, with 11 others sidelined because of symptoms or close contact with positive cases. Eight players, including shortstop Xander Bogaerts, reliever Matt Barnes and starter Nick Pivetta, are on the team’s COVID injured list, though some could rejoin the team this weekend.
The recent outbreak in the clubhouse has resulted in the Red Sox leaning on pitchers Kutter Crawford and Brad Peacock for starts in the rotation.
Sale, a seven-time All-Star, missed the 2020 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Since rejoining the rotation, Sale has looked like his old self, going 3-0 with a 2.52 ERA in 25 innings across five starts.