Chris Sale, Red Sox have discussed contract extension

Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale is entering the final year of a contract that has been one of the best values in all of sports, and he could be the most coveted pitcher on the free agent market at this time next year. The defending champs are trying to prevent it from getting to that point.

In an appearance on WEEI Monday morning, Red Sox chairman Tom Werner said the team has had discussions with Sale about a contract extension.

“We have had private conversations,” Werner said, via Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. “The best thing for us is to keep these conversations private. And we have to come to an understanding that is good for both sides. But we’ve had conversations with him. In a perfect world, we’d love to have him back. He’s one of the great pitchers in the American League.”

Sale signed a a five-year, $32.5 million contract with the Chicago White Sox a year before he was eligible for arbitration, and it ended up being worth $59 million over seven years. The Red Sox paid him $12 million in 2017 and $12.5 million last year, and the left-hander went 29-12 with a 2.51 ERA during that span.

While Sale has proven he can pitch in the AL East and is a perennial Cy Young Award candidate, he also had some shoulder concerns last year and has a tendency to fade late in seasons. When you combine that with the current state of MLB free agency, an extension might make sense for both him and the Red Sox.

The Red Sox will almost certainly try to sign Sale at a value price because of some of the red flags surrounding him during last year’s playoff run, but anything less than or equal to the six-year, $140 million deal Patrick Corbin got from the Washington Nationals this offseason would be an insult.