Red Sox's Chris Sale looks like his old self in first start in two years

Seven hundred thirty-two days.

That's how long it had been since Red Sox ace Chris Sale had taken the mound in an MLB game, due to elbow inflammation and Tommy John surgery.

But on Saturday in Boston, there he was, pitching against the Orioles and cruising through five innings with eight strikeouts and six hits. The only runs he allowed came on solo homers to Austin Hays and Trey Mancini in the third. 

The Sox won 16-2, and Sale earned the win.

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The 32-year-old left-hander last appeared in a big-league game on Aug. 13, 2019, when he recorded the 2,000th strikeout of his career. Four days later, Sale was placed on the injured list with elbow inflammation. It was not thought at the time that he needed surgery, but he was eventually shut down for the season.

Sale finished 2019 with a 6-11 record, 4.40 ERA and 218 strikeouts. Also that season, he recorded a career-high 17 strikeouts in an outing against the Rockies, and he logged the first two immaculate innings of his career, striking out three straight batters on nine straight pitches in starts against the Orioles and Royals.

On March 19, 2020, the Red Sox announced that Sale would undergo Tommy John surgery, thus ending his 2020 season before it began. Fast-forward to June 8, 2021, when Sale threw a bullpen session at Fenway Park for the first time in nearly two years. Then, following a few minor-league rehab starts, Sale was added to Boston's active roster on Saturday to make his start against Baltimore.

Here's how the baseball world reacted to his return to the mound.

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