Sean Manaea has never met Chris Sale, but he might take a moment to introduce himself to the Braves' ace pitcher when the Mets play in Atlanta in the final week of the regular season.
Manaea, who grew up in Merrillville, Indiana, just 40 miles from Chicago, became a “huge” fan after watching Sale play early in his White Sox career. Though both are big left-handers, the comparisons between the two may have ended there until this season.
Sale pitched well against the Mets at Citi Field on July 25, allowing two earned runs and striking out nine over 7 1/3 innings. Manaea had a eureka moment as he watched Sale frustrate teammates with his signature low slot/sidearm pitch.
“I saw the sale and wondered why I couldn't do it,” Manaea said this week. “The next day I tried it and it felt really good. It just felt more natural to me, so I thought, 'Maybe I should just lean into this instead of resisting it.' I had before, but now I leaned into it more and all of a sudden I was able to climb higher.”
