Red Sox Pick Up 2018 Options On Chris Sale, Craig Kimbrel
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Red Sox made a couple of pretty easy decisions on Thursday, picking up their 2018 options on both Chris Sale and Craig Kimbrel.
Sale, who led the majors with 308 strikeouts in his first season in Boston, will make $12.5 million with the Red Sox next season. It's the fourth year of a five-year extension Sale signed with the White Sox back in 2013, and Boston has another team option for the 2019 season for $13.5 million.
Kimbrel, who earned Reliever of the Year honors, is now slated to earn $13 million in 2018 before hitting free agency. The Boston closer notched 35 saves and led all of baseball in WHIP (0.68) and strikeouts per 9.0 innings pitched (16.43), and his 1.43 ERA ranked second.
Boston made a handful of other moves on Thursday, reinstating infielder Marco Hernandez and pitchers Tyler Thornburg and Steven Wright from the 60-day disabled list. Reliever Robbie Ross Jr. and infielder Josh Rutledge were also taken off of the 60-day DL and outrighted from the Major League roster. Both have elected to hit the free agent market.
With Thursday's moves, the Boston 40-man roster sits at 37 players.
