Red Sox analysis: Was Chris Sale's usage warranted last night?

     

     Despite the Red Sox winning 9-0 over the Orioles last night, Chris Sale getting his 300th strikeout and the team clinching a playoff spot, I have a few problems with last night’s game. All of my problems are with how John Farrell managed Sale last night.Prior to the game, Farrell announced that Addison Reed and Craig Kimbrel were unavailable to pitch because they had done so in five of the last six games. Because of this, David Price was available to close and available for multiple innings. It made sense. Price has pitched well this season, pitched well on Sunday in his two innings of work and it would give the Red Sox an opportunity to see how Price feels after pitching on shorter rest than what he would get in-between starts.      The seventh inning comes and the Red Sox are winning 6-0. It is now a blowout, a sure win game. Chris Sale, the most taxed arm in Major League Baseball, is at 90 pitches. He’s struggled as of late. Sale pitched to a 2-2 record in August with a 4.38 ERA while giving up 31 hits and eight walks. He didn’t pitch well in his previous start, going only 5 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on six hits. September is Sale’s worse month statistically in his career with only an 11-15 record with a 3.67 ERA with the highest WHIP as well. The demand and strain on the arm could impact Sale by this point according to the numbers as Sale pitches more than 200 innings each year.      The situation was perfect to give Sale rest in a lopsided game, bringing in Price, whom Farrell had everyone expecting would be used for multiple innings. Three innings right there for Price, easy decision for anyone to make.      But Farrell kept Sale in the game. Not only for the seventh, but also the eighth. He threw him for 111 pitches. Perplexing. Why waste Sale in a situation where he isn’t needed? According to Farrell, because he wanted Sale to get his 300^th strikeout.     Sean McAdam of the Boston Sports Journal mentioned that Farrell considered pulling Sale but left him in the game because he was “nearing history.” He also quoted Farrell saying, “We know what the final out represented – him getting to 300 strikeouts. I was aware of that, and you know what, I felt like he was in complete command of this game and had the ability to go out and get that opportunity, he recorded it.”     Doesn’t simple logic tell you though that you don’t throw your best pitcher until he gets his 300^th strikeout? What if he didn’t record it on that pitch? Would Farrell have brought him back out for the 9^th? I don’t put it past him.     Sale didn’t even know that he was coming up on his 300^th strikeout. When asked if he knew about it, the Associated Press quotes Sale saying, “No I didn’t. I went out there and struck out the last guy and everyone started losing it. I knew I was close, but I didn't know I needed just one more." Shows you how much he actually cared about the accomplishment.     Farrell wasn’t managing to win the game last night. He was managing to get his pitcher an accomplishment that meant nothing last night and one that he would surely achieve in his next start. It’s just not sound baseball. Time and time again Farrell has contradicted himself with his words and his actions. Can’t the Red Sox clinch the playoffs with another manager at the helm?