Chicago White Sox's Sale on track to start All-Star Game
When Robin Ventura said Chris Sale is the best pitcher in the American League, it wasn't a case of a manager trying to boost confidence in one of his players.
Sale has unquestionably been the best starter in the league over the first half of the season. The Chicago White Sox's left-hander leads the majors with 14 wins and also leads the AL with a 0.98 WHIP and ranks third with a 2.93 ERA and 118 strikeouts.
Scheduled to pitch his final game of the first half Friday night against the Atlanta Braves, Sale is on track to start next Tuesday's All-Star Game at San Diego.
"That's for you guys to talk about, not me," Sale said.
There is no doubt Sale is heading for his fifth straight All-Star Game, and he is very likely to make his first start for the AL.
"He's earned the right to do it," Ventura said. "Whether they ask him to do it and he does it is another thing. It's always an honor to play in the All-Star Game and to be the guy who is asked to start it is special. It doesn't come around very often for a lot of guys and to do it is a feather in your cap."
Mark Buehrle was the White Sox's last All-Star Game starter, in 2005.
Coming around:
Todd Frazier has had an unusual offensive first half.
Heading into Monday's game against the Yankees, the third baseman was second in the American League with 23 home runs, and led the Sox with 51 RBI.
On the flip side, Frazier was batting .204 and had only 6 doubles after tying for second in the National League with 43 last season.
The White Sox beat New York 8-2, and Frazier was 3-for-3 with 2 doubles and 2 walks. He's now batting .212.
"I felt good today," he said. "It was just one of those days, you felt like you were going to get on every time and it felt pretty good. Get up there and get 2 walks in the beginning, see some pitches and not worry about nothing. Just going up there, feeling comfortable.
"I've been trying to find my swing here a little bit. What really helped me was the last at-bat in Houston (Sunday), getting that single to left field and leaving on a high note. Come in here and see it and hit it. That's basically what I've been doing."
Cabrera returns:
After missing five games with a sprained right wrist, left fielder Melky Cabrera was back in the Sox's starting lineup Monday against the Yankees. He was 2-for-5 in the White Sox's 8-2 win.
"He swung the bat (Sunday) and said he felt pretty good," manager Robin Ventura said. "He was good enough to play yesterday, but knowing we were going to give him five days and knowing he would have hit left-handed, it was a little different. He never felt it hitting right-handed, so we feel safe knowing there won't be an issue."