Sale sorry for letting down Sox teammates

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Red Sox ace Chris Sale has a flexor tendon strain in his left arm that eventually could lead to Tommy John surgery. For now, though, it’s rest and rehabilitation.

That was the diagnosis from two of the most renowned Tommy John surgeons, Dr. James Andrews of Pensacola and Los Angeles team physician Dr. Neal Elattrache, after reviewing results of Sale’s MRI.

Their opinion — rest for about 10 days, treat with anti-inflammatory drugs [...]

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Red Sox ace Chris Sale has a flexor tendon strain in his left arm that eventually could lead to Tommy John surgery. For now, though, it’s rest and rehabilitation.

That was the diagnosis from two of the most renowned Tommy John surgeons, Dr. James Andrews of Pensacola and Los Angeles team physician Dr. Neal Elattrache, after reviewing results of Sale’s MRI.

Their opinion — rest for about 10 days, treat with anti-inflammatory drugs and then play some light catch after that. If the pain is no longer there, he could begin preparing for the season, which undoubtedly will see him on the injured list for a couple of months.

But if the elbow pain is still there when he begins throwing, Sale and the Red Sox will have to reassess, with the season-ending surgery a distinct possibility.

Since signing with the White Sox in 2010, the one knock on him was his funky delivery, with observers saying that at some time he would break down.

Sale said he would publicly address his status as soon as he was notified. True to his word, that came at about 10 a.m. Thursday. Not only did he talk of the elbow problem but apologized that he had let down his teammates, the Boston organization and Red Sox fans.

"That’s what makes it tough to sleep," Sale said. "I know what I mean to this organization, to this team, the success going forward. And I know the faith they put in me."

The Red Sox locked up Sale with a five-year, $145-million contract last April, making him one of the highest-paid pitchers in baseball. Not being able to perform to his customary All-Star standards eats on him constantly, he said.

"I couldn’t possibly feel worse about any situation I’ve ever felt in my entire life because of that. … I don’t think I’ve ever let anybody down this hard. And that sucks. … Someone gives you something because they believe in you, they expect something from you and you don’t live up to that.

"I was able to get through most of my career doing what I love to do and helping my team win. For sure, over the last year and up to this point, I’ve done nothing but fall flat on my face."

Sale — who will turn 31 on March 30 — missed the final six weeks of the 2019 season because of a sore elbow. This spring, he had said all along that his arm felt good. But after throwing just 15 pitches in live batting practice Sunday, he said he woke up Monday with pain in the elbow.

"I’ve sat before you now hundreds of times," Sale said. "And I’ve only ever given you everything I know. I’m going to continue to do that. I will know more in a couple of weeks from now."

He said that however this plays out for him, he will not change the way he pitches.

"I pitch the way I pitch," Sale said "I can’t change. I have to pitch the way I pitch. If I go out there and I can pitch at a high level and I’m comfortable in the way I’ve always done it, I’m going to ride it out. And if I can’t do that, we’ll figure something out."

Without Sale, the only proven big-league starters in the Boston rotation are Eduardo Rodriguez, Nathan Eovaldi and Martin Perez. On Thursday, the team signed former Houston Astros right-hander Collin McHugh to a one-year, incentive-laden deal.

McHugh was shelved near the end of last season with elbow soreness and is likely to start this season on the injured list as he works through a throwing program to rebuild his arm strength.