Game 46: Red Sox at Padres

Have you been watching NESN? Well, then you’ll know the last three starts Chris Sale has looked like his old self. The ace! 5.1 innings and 1 run, 6.0 innings and 3 runs, 8 innings and 1 run. And 24 strikeouts over 19.1 innings. Xander Bogaerts and the Padres are still a test, but so far it’s more names than production. Is this Chris Sale winding back the clock to before his injury spells? The fourth place in the AL East Red Sox but 2nd or 3rd best offense in baseball could sure use that guy on the hill every five days.

Remember Joe Musgrove’s no-hitter? It was just over two years ago. 2023 hasn’t cared about the past though. Starting the season on the IL, it’s been a bit rough for the righty. Over four starts his ERA sits at 6.63 against a 6.14 FIP. He’s had three decent starts and one implosion. However, that 3.1 inning, 7 run performance against the San Francisco Giants was during the series in Mexico City which made pre-humidor Coors Field look like a pitcher’s park. We’ll see how MLB handles that environment, but it means Musgrove may turn in a more solid outing tonight than we might expect. And in back-to-back stats against the Los Angeles Dodgers he only allowed 4 earned runs in 10.2 combined innings.

First pitch is at 10:10 PM ET.