The White Sox have announced that Chris Sale has indeed been scratched from Saturday's start. He is not sick and he hasn't been traded, however.
The team says Sale was sent home after a "non-physical" incident in the clubhouse. General manager Rick Hahn issued a statement prior to Saturday's game:
"Chris Sale has been scratched from tonight's scheduled start and sent home from the ballpark by the White Sox due to a clubhouse incident before the game. The incident, which was non-physical in nature, currently is under further investigation by the club.
"The White Sox will have no comment until the investigation is completed."
Details of the incident eventually leaked, and it involved the destruction of the throwback jerseys the team was scheduled to wear Saturday night:
Not a joke: Source says Sale blowup was because he didn't want to wear throwbacks, so he cut the jerseys up so no one could wear them.
— Tommy Stokke (@StokkeTommy) July 23, 2016
Source: "Sale asked that they not wear (throwbacks) on his day because they are uncomfortable. Things escalated when they wouldn't relent."
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 24, 2016
The jerseys Sale was against wearing:
@BallparkHunter@keithbroookpic.twitter.com/Iesr1ENWE2
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 23, 2016
Sale, as you may recall, called team president Kenny Williams a "bold-faced liar" during the Drake LaRoche incident in spring training. This isn't the first time the southpaw has gotten involved in some sort of heated argument in the clubhouse.
As the White Sox continue to fall out of the postseason race, more and more rumors about Sale's availability at the trade deadline have begun to surface. The Rangers are said to be heavily involved. You can be sure other teams are as well, and the reported asking price in a Sale deal involves five top prospects.
Needless to say, this situation is developing.
