Opening Day, March 30th. Chris Sale’s birthday. And Corey Kluber will be on the bump as the Red Sox start the 2023 season.

Alex Cora broke the news on Sunday that Sale wasn’t getting the Opening Day nod, sending fragments of the fan base into a frenzy as they got the chance to dig in on their favorite punching bag. Was he hurt again? No, this had simply been Cora’s plan dating back to January.

Since the start of spring training, Cora has made it clear that Sale isn’t responsible for carrying the team on his shoulders. No expectations. Just get back to being a guy who goes out there every five days and gives his team a chance to win.

It’s understandable. We’ve seen the pressure Sale has put on himself the last few years while trying to live up to the 5-year, $145 MM extension he signed before the start of the 2019 season. He pushed himself so hard last winter it led to a stress fracture in his right rib cage.

At this point, it’s fair to question that vintage Chris Sale might be gone. Even after tossing 5 scoreless innings with 7 strikeouts and 0 walks in the last few weeks. But the Red Sox aren’t asking for that level of production out of him, they need stability in a rotation full of question marks.

Sale hasn’t been healthy for 3 straight Opening Days. So far this spring, we’ve seen emotions pour out of him during live bullpens and after his first Grapefruit League start. It’ll be on a whole different level when he takes the mound on April 1st (currently lined up for 3/31 but it’s an off-day), so taking his birthday out of the equation and all the hoopla of Opening Day feels smart.

Since debuting in 2010, Sale has been one of the most emotional and vocal pitchers in the sport. Go back to 2021, where he somehow found 98 MPH in his back pocket to escape a jam in Game 5 of the ALCS after flashing diminished stuff down the stretch. Followed up by a primal scream that had Fenway Park buzzing.

• 

  Oct 20, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) takes starting pitcher Chris Sale (41) out of the game during the sixth inning of game five of the 2021 ALCS against the Houston Astros at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

• Nobody knows his players better than Cora and he’s protected his guys from themselves on a number of occasions. This feels like a perfect example of that, with the chance for Sale to also get an extra day of rest before settling into a 5-day routine again.

  Sale has been the punchline of jokes and criticism for years. Plenty claiming that he’ll never be able to withstand a big league workload again and it’s impossible to depend on him in any capacity. Yet, when the Red Sox treat him with the ultimate kid gloves, it’s a problem.

  Can’t have it both ways. Pick a struggle.

  If there’s been any correlation between Cora’s spring training messages over the years, it’s that the baseball season is a marathon not a sprint.

  Sure, Opening Day is a major landmark, but it doesn’t make or break a season. In 2021, the Red Sox got swept by the Orioles to start the year and shocked everyone by making the ALCS. Try 2018, where the Rays stole the opener before the Red Sox put together the most dominant season in franchise history.

  What’s even crazier is those insinuating that Sale has lost his edge and Opening Day doesn’t mean anything to him. Did you not see him go bonkers after getting smacked around during a rehab start last year? Was he supposed to throw his manager under the bus after years of backing him through the lowest moments of his career?

  Of course not. You know why? Because Sale has shown enough awareness to understand his position in the organization and across the sport, despite his accolades. 

• 

  HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 22: Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox observes the playing of the national anthem prior to Game Six of the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on October 22, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

• This isn’t the former superstar past his prime that wants to be treated like royalty until his retirement. Instead, it’s a pitcher that constantly acknowledges his shortcomings over the years. What more can you ask for off the field and as a leader? 

  If you want to get a feel for where Sale is at mentally, he did a great interview with Rob Bradford recently. He’s not looking for fans to change their tune on him. Not one bit.

  Instead, he wants the haters to keep talking. Fuel him. Just don’t try to switch up when the script flips.

  Sale has a lot of work to do before he can change that narrative. It’ll only happen by being a dependable arm in the rotation again and the Red Sox are doing everything in their power to make that happen.

  Every precaution will be worth it for a reasonably healthy Sale. If that doesn’t become reality, fans will immediately be looking for what went wrong and how the organization messed it up. The Red Sox want to eliminate any of those potential pitfalls.

  Patience. Not for months, weeks, or even days. Just one extra game until Sale returns and tries to find his footing in the big leagues again.

  For those looking to complain about Sale at every turn, just be consistent about the way Sale needs to be handled. That’s all I ask. Spare me the false narratives surrounding a guy who’s clearly been in a dark place after mostly losing baseball for the last 3 years.

• All 5 of Chris Sale's strikeouts in his last start

  All 5 of Chris Sale’s strikeouts against the Twins today.
  
  Just what you want to see.
  
  pic.twitter.com/GORihSByar

  — Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) March 11, 2023

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