Report: Sale likely done for 2019, won't require Tommy John surgery

The Boston Red Sox appear to have dodged a major bullet.

Left-hander Chris Sale won't need Tommy John surgery, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The veteran hurler will miss the remainder of the 2019 regular season, and a return in the postseason is unlikely if the Red Sox manage to earn a spot in the playoffs, Passan adds.

Sale visited Dr. James Andrews in Florida on Monday, and the follow-up reportedly confirmed the pitcher's previous diagnosis of elbow inflammation.

He received a platelet-rich plasma shot in his elbow, and Andrews recommended a re-evaluation in six weeks.

Sale was placed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday after he felt stiffness in his elbow following a start last week.

The 30-year-old Sale is in the midst of the worst season of his career. He's 6-11 with a 4.40 ERA over 147 1/3 innings, but still leads major-league starters with 13.3 strikeouts per nine innings.

Boston signed the seven-time All-Star to a five-year, $145-million contract extension in March that runs through 2024.