MLB Network names Chris Sale the third best starting pitcher in baseball

MLB Network keeps ranking players by position in their Top 10 Right Now! series and the Red Sox have yet another name. Joining Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, and Dustin Pedroia, who were ranked at their respective positions, Chris Sale was named the third best starting pitcher in the game. Coming off a year where he was absolutely dominant almost every time he took the mound and his sixth straight season among the top six finalists for the American League Cy Young award, it’s no surprise.

He’s showing that consistency is what his biggest mark is over the last five years. He’s on this list every year and there’s no doubt he deserves to be this high. - John Smoltz

Sale led the league in innings (214.1), strikeouts (308), and strikeouts per nine innings (12.9). He also finally made his postseason debut, although it wasn’t exactly the most impressive part of his 2017.

Sale trails only the great Clayton Kershaw and his AL CY Young nemesis Corey Kluber.

1. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

2. Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians

3. Chris Sale, Boston Red Sox

4. Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals

5. Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals

6. Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants

7. Noah Syndergaard, New York Mets

8. Carlos Carrasco, Cleveland Indians

9. Justin Verlander, Houston Astros

10. Kyle Hendricks, Chicago Cubs

Or maybe he just needs to add a silent K to his last name to make the initial game complete. Good luck in 2018 Chris Ksale!