Chris Sale strikes out 5 in likely final rehab start, declares himself 'very ready' to rejoin Red Sox

WORCESTER, Mass. — Chris Sale struggled to calm himself down on Wednesday night in what was expected to be his last rehab start before he rejoins his teammates in Boston.

Now the Red Sox brass will have to decide whether to pump the brakes on their erstwhile ace's return.

Sale struck out five Triple-A batters before leaving when he walked in a run with two outs in the fourth inning — his fifth walk of the night — then said he was ready to reclaim his spot in the Boston rotation.

«I'm very ready,» he said after throwing 72 pitches in 3 2/3 innings and allowing one run on three hits. «I know today was a little bit of a hiccup, but there's nothing that can't be ironed out.»

Pitching for the Worcester Red Sox against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders, a Yankees farm team, Sale failed to deliver a 1-2-3 inning, though he induced a double play to get out of the third.

He loaded the bases in the fourth on three hits — two of them infield singles. He struck out designated hitter Armando Alvarez for the second out with a 96 mph fastball that was his 65th pitch of the game.

That was supposed to be the limit for the 33-year-old left-hander, who broke a rib while working out on his own during the major league lockout. But when pitching coach Paul Abbott came out to talk to Sale, he left alone.

No. 9 hitter David Freitas worked the count to 3-2 and then took a pitch that was close enough for the sold-out crowd to cheer in anticipation of a strikeout. But plate umpire Sam Burch remained silent, the runner trotted in from third to tie the game 1-1, and Sale punched the air in frustration.

Manager Chad Tracy headed to the mound, and Sale departed to a standing ovation from the crowd of 8,891. As he walked off, he waved his glove at