Interim manager Ron Roenicke confirmed Thursday that Sale (illness) won't be available to start Opening Day and will likely begin the season on the 15-day injured list, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Roenicke stressed that Sale is fine physically after the southpaw treated his elbow through non-surgical methods during the offseason, but the 30-year-old simply doesn't have enough time left during spring to build up to a starter's workload after battling pneumonia earlier this month. Sale has since resumed working out and is expected to toss a live batting-practice session Saturday, but he'll still be about two weeks behind Boston's other starting pitchers once the regular season begins. Assuming the Red Sox place Sale on the IL and make his stint retroactive to March 23 (the earliest possible date), the lefty won't be eligible to make his 2020 debut until at least April 7 versus the Rays, per Browne.