Boston Red Sox manager confident Chris Sale will be ready for Game 1 on Friday

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora is confident ace left-hander Chris Sale will be ready to go for Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Friday.

Sale will start the contest despite his velocity hovering much lower than usual in his final start of the regular season on Sept. 26. He allowed three runs on four hits and a walk in 4 2/3 innings against the Baltimore Orioles in the outing, though he struck out eight.

"The fact that when the game was on the line in that last one and he hit 94 mph a few times, it wasn't 99 mph, but he went from 88-89 to 94, so I know it's there," Cora said Tuesday. "The fact that he came to me right away after the game was over and he felt it on the mound and he saw it on the video, I'm like, 'OK, this is mechanics.'

"He's been going through his progress the right way. It's nothing compared to what it was the first time he went on the DL and the days after Baltimore, so that's why I'm 100 per cent sure he's healthy and he's going to be fine."

Sale spent two separate stints on the DL due to mild left shoulder inflammation during the second half of the season. He was most recently activated from the DL on Sept. 11 and hasn't pitched five innings in a game since.

"He feels much better," Cora said.

Fellow southpaw David Price will pitch Game 2 for Boston, while right-hander Rick Porcello is set for Game 3.

A starter for a potential Game 4 could depend on whether the New York Yankees or the Oakland Athletics advance from the AL wild-card game on Wednesday. If it's the Yankees, Cora intends to have right-hander Nathan Eovaldi pitch the contest. If it's the A's, however, lefty Eduardo Rodriguez could get the call.

"We do feel if it's New York, Nate will pitch Game 4," said Cora. "We're pretty sure. I don't want to say 100 per cent, but it's getting close to that.

With the A's, we're still digging in information. We're getting close to what we want to do against them. Don't get me wrong, it's not like we've been lazy or just hanging out, but it's different. It's a team that I know we played them early, and you guys know how I feel about them, but it's a different team now. We still have to make decisions about that."

The Red Sox won't include long relievers Brian Johnson and Hector Velazquez on their initial ALDS roster. Veteran infielder Brandon Phillips also won't make the cut.

(With inputs from agencies.)