Good News, Bad News For Red Sox Ace Chris Sale

Red Sox lefthander Chris Sale will apparently avoid Tommy John surgery, avoiding the procedure that would put him on the shelf for the rest of this season and all of 2020. Sale will, however, still miss the rest of this regular season and possibly any playoff run beyond.

The good news/bad news came from the Red Sox after Sale saw Dr. James Andrews, the highly regarded surgeon known for repairing pitchers' torn UCLs with what is known as Tommy John surgery. The surgery often takes more than a year to fully recover from.

Sale has inflammation in his pitching elbow and received a platelet-rich plasma injection. He will be shut down and reevaluated in six weeks.

NEW: Patriots Release 3-Time Super Bowl Champion

Even if Sale rebounds quickly, it's unlikely he would get up to speed in time to help the Red Sox in what at this point looks like an unlikely playoff run. The Red Sox entered Monday 6.5 games back of the second wild card spot.

The injury could very well mean the end of what has been the worst season of Sale's career. The lefthander is still a strikeout machine, but he's seen a drastic dip in velocity and has struggled his way to a 6-11 record and 4.40 ERA.

Next season will be Sale's first of a five-year, $145 million contract extension given to him before this season.