Bernfield: Chicago White Sox's Sale continues to evolve
Chris Sale is one of the most talented pitchers in baseball.
When he defeated the Houston Astros 2-1 on Thursday night at U.S. Cellular Field, the Chicago White Sox's ace became the first major-league pitcher since 2008 and the first Sox pitcher since Eddie Cicotte in 1919 to win his first 9 starts of the season.
Sale fired his second consecutive complete game and tied his season high with 9 strikeouts in the dominant performance.
Ever since he burst onto the scene in 2010, Sale has compiled prolific strikeout totals. Last season his 274 punchouts set the White Sox's single-season record. Between May 23 and June 30, he struck out at least 10 batters in eight straight games, tying the big-league record.
But now he's doing something more valuable for his team than seeing how many times he can get an umpire to call "strike three." He's becoming an elite pitcher.
"You can tell he's making a conscious effort to be a pitcher more than just a dominant thrower," Astros manager AJ Hinch said last week. "He's not hunting strikeouts near as much as he seemed to be in previous seasons."
In the past, Sale tried to strike out 12 or 13 batters every game. But he needed maximum effort on each pitch and often more than 100 pitches to do it. Teams often didn't make consistent contact, but they could eventually wear him down after six innings and take their chances against the bullpen later in the game.
Not anymore.
"Sometimes when you pile up strikeouts, you get into 18-, 19-pitch innings," Sale said. "If you're trying to get deep into games, that's not going to work out so well. I'm just trying to hit my spots. Let them get themselves out."
Sale's career high in complete games in a single season is just 4. This season he already has thrown 3, more than 28 other pitching staffs. He has pitched at least 7 innings in all but 1 start.
"(I'm) not throwing so many anger pitches and not maxing out on every single pitch I throw," Sale said.
His deceptive left-handed delivery, blazing fastball, devastating slider and knee-buckling changeup naturally produce frequent swings and misses. He always will be a strikeout pitcher because he brings a terrifying array of pitches to the mound.
But now he trusts his talent and his defense, and he's learning there are different ways to dominate.
He doesn't have to hit 97 mph with every pitch. A consistent 92 - with the occasional 97 and elite secondary pitches - is a more efficient and effective approach.
Sale already is a four-time all-star and has finished in the top six in the American League Cy Young Award voting in each of the last four seasons. Since he became a full-time starter in 2012, he has averaged at least 9 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched.
This year he's fanning 8.2 batters per 9 innings pitched - not quite as impressive as in seasons past. But he's on pace to throw more innings, win more games and pitch in the playoffs for the first time.
That's a trade he's willing to make.
We are witnessing the evolution of an immensely talented thrower into a smarter and more effective pitcher. And the wins are piling up.
• Jordan Bernfield is an anchor and co-host of "Inside The Clubhouse" on WSCR 670-AM The Score. He also works as a play-by-play broadcaster for ESPN. Follow him on Twitter @JordanBernfield.