Diminished velocity, loss of command raise questions - again - about Chris Sale

After a strong start in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Yankees and a perfect inning of relief in Game 4, Chris Sale seemed to have quieted any doubts about himself.

That changed again in Game 1 of the ALCS on Saturday night.

Sale didn't have the same life to his fastball that he did in the first round, mostly hitting 90-91 mph. Worse, he had no feel for his slider -- or, for a while, any of his pitches -- in a troubling second inning that saw him walk two and hit another.

After feeling that Sale was completely recovered from the shoulder inflammation that limited him for much of the final two months of the season, it's now fair to have questions again following a 7-2 loss to the Houston Astros.

"It was a struggle for him tonight,'' acknowledged Alex Cora of his ace lefty. "It was hard for him today. He was a one-pitch pitcher -- fastball, glove side.''

On the face of it, the pitching line wasn't terrible: four innings pitched, two runs allowed. But that only tells a portion of the story.

There were warning sides right from the first inning. Sale walked lead-off hitter George Springer, allowed a two-out single to Alex Bregman and seemed to have a hard time putting hitters away. He needed 17 pitches to record the first three outs.

But if the first inning was troubling, the second was an outright disaster. It began well enough, with two quick outs. But facing the bottom third of the Astros' order, he walked two hitters and hit another. A sharp two-run single to left by Springer gave the visitor's a quick 2-0 lead.

"I went out there and lost it for a little bit,'' said Sale. "I was out there searching for it a little bit. It's one of those things that happens. Sometimes you're out there battling yourself and that was definitely the case."

Cora maintained Sale was healthy and noted that his velocity ticked up over the final inning. And indeed, Sale retired six of the last seven hitters he faced and didn't allow a hit or walk in the final two innings.

All of which made it a little strange that Sale was pulled after four innings and just 86 pitches.

"I never want to come out of a game,'' Sale said diplomatically. "But we know who we have in that manager's office and leading this group. I'll never question a decision he makes. I have full faith and trust in him. If he says it's time to go sit down, it's time to go sit down and I respect it.''

"He wanted to go out again,'' said Cora, "and I was like, 'No, man. It's going to be a long series. We need you.'''

That last point is obvious. But left unanswered, after a strong showing in the ALDS, is: what version of Chris Sale do they have?

If Sale is even close to the best version of himself, the Red Sox have someone who can match up with Houston ace Justin Verlander, negating any edge the defending world champs. If he's limited -- as he seemed to be at times Saturday night -- the Red Sox cede a huge advantage to the Astros rotation and will have to find a way to earn four wins in the next six games against a deep and imposing lineup.

And, do it without a legitimate ace.