Sale on shirts: Everything must go.
At least that’s how Chris Sale felt after he walked into the White Sox clubhouse and saw throwback jerseys hanging in each players’ locker. According to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, Sale responded by auditioning for the lead in the newest “Edward Scissorhands” movie.
In one of the most bizarre sports stories in recent memory, the White Sox left-handed ace began to cut up the team’s throwback jerseys in protest of wearing them.
“The blowup occurred because he didn’t want to wear throwback jerseys, so he cut them up and obviously they could not be worn,” Rosenthal said during the Yankees-Giants telecast on FS1. “I was told Sale felt the jerseys were uncomfortable and he didn’t want to pitch with that kind of feeling. So he was upset. There was a blowup during batting practice when he cut up the jerseys. … Basically his feeling was the White Sox were valuing PR and jersey sales more than his comfort and winning, and that’s why this incident took place.”
Afterward, Sale immediately was scratched from Saturday’s start and sent home. It was announced Matt Albers would make the start for the White Sox before the team released a statement to the media.
“The incident, which was non-physical in nature, currently is under further investigation by the club,” general manager Rick Hahn said in a statement. “The White Sox will have no additional comment until the investigation is completed.”
This was not the first time Sale or the White Sox have been caught in the middle of a controversy this year.
During spring training, Sale was openly critical of White Sox team president Ken Williams when Williams said the son of Adam LaRoche would no longer be allowed in the clubhouse. As a result, LaRoche retired — leaving $13 million on the table — while Sale hung LaRoche’s jersey in his locker as a show of support.
The latest incident follows Sale’s removal from a dominating eight-inning, one-hit outing before watching closer David Robertson surrender four runs in the ninth inning in Chicago’s loss to Seattle during his last start Monday.
Frustrations have been high on a White Sox team that started the season 23-10, but entered Saturday having dropped eight of nine games and are residing in fourth place in the AL Central, prompting Sale to be involved in trade rumors.
Sale was the White Sox’s 13th overall pick out of Florida Gulf Coast in 2010 and has been selected as an All-Star five times, starting for the AL earlier this month.
Sale is 14-3 on the year with a 3.18 ERA and would have been aiming to become the major’s first 15-game winner.
He’s collected 1,140 strikeouts in his career on the strength of his fastball and slider combination, but it looks like his deadliest pitch may actually be his cutter.