HOUSTON (AP) - Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale will be back with his teammates for Game 3 of the AL Championship Series after an overnight stay in a hospital because of a stomach illness.
Boston said it planned to wait until he rejoins the team in Houston on Tuesday before deciding when the lanky lefty will get back on the mound.
“Everything’s fine,” manager Alex Cora said before the Red Sox held a brief workout on Monday night. “So we’ll see how he feels physically, and then after that we’ll decide what we’re going to do.”
Sale was released Monday from Massachusetts General Hospital, where he had gone because of a stomach illness after he pitched in the series opener at Fenway Park. He was hospitalized Sunday night for observation and did not travel with the team to Houston.
Cora said Sale will be in Houston before Game 3 of the best-of-seven series.
“It’s great. I think we’re all more concerned for his personal well-being and not necessarily the team,” right fielder Mookie Betts said. “So to know that he’s OK is definitely huge.”
The 29-year-old Sale struggled with his control in Boston’s 7-2 home loss to the Astros on Saturday night. The left-hander allowed two runs, four walks and hit a batter in four innings.
Cora said Sale started feeling ill and was throwing up right after the game. Sale went to a hospital early Sunday morning.
The illness was announced by the team during Game 2 on Sunday night, which the Red Sox won to even the series.
“When I got to the ballpark, they told me he was there. Nothing serious. He was going to go through a battery of tests and see what was going on,” Cora said. “He’ll be here tomorrow and, hopefully, physically he’s ready to go, and we’ll decide when he pitches.”
Nathan Eovaldi, the Red Sox starter for Game 3, said team members were surprised when they heard about Sale being in a hospital.
“I’ve heard nothing but good things about him now,” Eovaldi said.
Sale made just one start between July 27 and Sept. 11 because of mild left shoulder inflammation, then made four starts during the rest of the regular season. He beat the Yankees in the Division Series opener and pitched one inning of relief in Game 4 as the Red Sox won the best-of-five series.
Asked whether Sale lost weight because of the stomach illness, Cora jokingly responded, “Hopefully not.”
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