CHICAGO -- Red Sox ace Chris Sale has tested positive for COVID-19 and will not make his scheduled start Sunday against the White Sox, MassLive has learned.
Sale is the 10th Red Sox player to test positive for the virus since Aug. 27. There are still eight other players -- including shortstop Xander Bogaerts, reliever Matt Barnes and starter Nick Pivetta -- on the COVID-19 injured list. Some could rejoin the club this weekend. Usually, players who test positive for the virus have to miss a minimum of 10 days but there have been cases when vaccinated players return earlier than that timeframe. It is unclear if Sale -- who revealed during spring training that he had a mild case of COVID in January -- is vaccinated against the virus.
It is unclear who will pitch for the Red Sox on both Saturday (Pivetta’s scheduled turn in the rotation) and Sunday. Pivetta, who is vaccinated against COVID-19, is a candidate to pitch if he is asymptomatic and cleared by Major League Baseball. Righty prospect Connor Seabold is in Chicago as part of Boston’s taxi squad and is a candidate to make his big-league debut; rookie righty Kutter Crawford could also make anther start.
Since coming off the injured list Aug. 14, Sale owns a 3-0 record with a 2.52 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 25 innings.
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