Yes Chris Sale is out as a consideration as the Red sox opening day starter. Alex Cora confirmed this to reporters yesterday.
“You can write that one down. He’s not (starting Opening Day)” Cora told reporters Sunday. “I want him to enjoy it as a regular baseball player. Just the whole Opening Day thing. Wherever he pitches in the rotation is where he’ll pitch in the rotation.”
He will be on the opening day roster for the first time since 2019. We won't get in the wayback machine and AGAIN go over the whys and wherefores. We all know them by now. But why won't Sale be on the hill for opening day 2023 ? good question. Some good answers have been bandied about. Mostly surrounding his birthday ( excuse me while I chuckle) and his fragile health. And where he is currently in his buildup to the season. Some have inferred strongly that he isn't on the schedule to be available on opening day and Corey Kluber is for these reasons. Well that's B/s. There is one reason and one reason only that Sale will go day two game two. Two days is nothing at this point. Throwing schedules can easily be manipulated so Sale gets the call on his birthday. Which happens to be opening day. The Reason is this
Money
Ticket sales are dragging on Jersey street. Opening day is sold out of course. But after that? Yea great seats are still available. Chris Sale making his return to the mound on day two of the 2023 season is a guarantee of a second straight sell out and a YACHT load more money for John Henry than Fenway at 75% capacity. That's it, that’s the reason. Nothing more nothing less. this is about John Henry’s bottom line.