OAKLAND, Calif. — Chris Sale’s four-seam fastball averaged only 92.3 mph and he threw just 59 percent strikes when the Mariners crushed him Opening Day.

Sale allowed seven runs, all earned, six hits (three homers) and two walks while striking out four in 3 innings. Boston lost 12-4 at Safeco Field.

The ace, who signed a five-year, $145-million extension at the end of spring training, will start again Tuesday in Oakland against the Athletics. Should concern exist over his velocity or a potential injury?

No and no.

Sale pitched at a low velocity last March/April. In his second start last year vs. Miami, the 46 four-seam fastball he threw averaged 92.1 mph.

His fastball averaged below 94 mph in each of his first seven starts last year. He was throwing harder than he ever has as a starting pitcher by June. His velocity will increase or it should. (See the chart below for his average velocities and max velocities from each start during 2018).

The lower velocity April is a concerted effort by the Red Sox and Sale as the southpaw tries to stay healthy an entire season.

“When I was the bench coach in Houston, a lot of people were saying he threw 99 from the get-go and ran out of bullets in October,” Cora said the other day. “So which one will you take? Him throwing 99 in March or April or him pitching in the World Series?”

Starts in 2018 Number of four-seamer fastballs Average velocity Max velocity March 29 at Tampa 39 four-seam fastballs 93.8 mph average velocity, 97.2 mph max velocity April 3 at Miami 46 four-seam fastballs 92.1 mph average velocity 95.6 mph max velocity April 10 vs. Yankees 44 four-seam fastballs 93.2 mph average velocity 97.2 mph max velocity April 15 vs. Baltimore 46 four-seam fastballs 90.2 mph average velocity 94.8 mph max velocity April 21 at Oakland 40 four-seam fastballs 94.1 mph average velocity 96.2 mph max velocity April 26 at Toronto 40 four-seam fastballs 93.4 mph average velocity 97.1 mph max velocity May 1 at Kansas City 27 four-seam fastballs 93.5 mph average velocity 96.2 mph max velocity. May 6 at Texas 28 four-seam fastballs 96.6 mph average velocity 99.2 mph max velocity May 11 at Toronto 37 four-seam fastballs 95.7 mph average velocity 97.7 mph max velocity May 16 vs. Oakland 66 four-seam fastballs 95.8 mph average velocity 98.5 mph max velocity May 22 at Rays 41 four-seam fastballs 96.2 mph average velocity 98.7 mph max velocity May 27 vs. Atlanta 41 four-seam fastballs 95.2 mph average velocity 98 mph max velocity June 1 at Houston 17 four-seam fastballs 94.8 mph average velocity 97.1 mph max velocity June 8 vs. White Sox 31 four-seam fastballs 97.8 mph average velocity 100.3 mph max velocity June 13 at Baltimore 37 four-seam fastballs 97 mph average velocity 99.1 mph max velocity June 19 at Twins 39 four-seam fastballs 96.3 mph average velocity 98.9 mph max velocity June 24 vs. Seattle 41 four-seam fastballs 98 mph average velocity 100.5 mph max velocity June 30 at Yankees 37 four-seam fastballs 97.5 mph average velocity 100 mph max velocity July 6 at Royals 34 four-seam fastballs 97.5 mph average velocity 100.3 mph max velocity July 11 vs. Texas 44 four-seam fastballs 97.7 mph average velocity 99.7 mph max velocity July 22 at Detroit 39 four-seam fastballs 96.3 mph average velocity 98.6 mph max velocity July 27 vs. Minnesota 47 four-seam fastballs 97.1 mph average velocity 99.6 mph max velocity INJURED LIST Aug. 12 at Baltimore 31 four-seam fastballs 97.9 mph average velocity 99.7 mph max velocity INJURED LIST Sept. 11 vs. Toronto 15 four-seam fastballs 96.2 mph average velocity 97 mph max velocity Sept. 16 vs. Mets 20 four-seam fastballs 94.9 mph average velocity 96.8 mph max velocity Sept. 21 at Cleveland 24 four-seam fastballs 93.4 mph average velocity 95.7 mph max velocity Sept. 26 vs. Baltimore 33 four-seam fastballs 90.2 mph average velocity 94.5 mph max velocity

The Red Sox also learned more last year when they tried to keep Sale healthy by limiting his workload in spring training and keeping his pitch counts down in April while also having him dial back velocity early.

He still spent two stints on the injured list because of shoulder inflammation. He pitched only 29 innings during the second half after he dialed up his velocity more than ever in June, maxing out at 100 mph or more in four starts. He perhaps dialed it up too much midseason after a concerted effort to dial it back in April.

Sale has a 6.04 ERA (28.1 innings, 19 earned runs) in his past eight starts dating back to being activated from the DL on Sept. 11, 2018.

The major issue is command, not velocity. It was last September and it was again in his first start of 2019. But that’s not surprising after he made just two starts and pitched a total of nine innings in spring training.

He made four starts during spring training 2018.

Cora confirmed Sale is healthy when asked Friday.

He must be healthy. He underwent another physical before signing his five-year extension at the end of spring training. The Red Sox said all offseason his arm was perfectly fine. Principal owner John Henry said Sale was healthy when indicating early in spring training the Red Sox might reach an extension with him.

There’s no way the Red Sox would have extended Sale unless MRIs showed a completely healthy elbow and shoulder.

Flash back to July 7, 2018, when Cora revealed the Astros’ 2017 postseason game-plan against Sale.

“We looked at two starts, only two starts. It was the Cleveland starts," Cora said. "And we decided inside we were not going to offer. And now he’s painting inside so you can’t do that. That’s why I’m able to say it. We decided to split the plate in half and look away and it worked.”

Sale not only had exceptional velocity last June and July. He also painted the corners. Sale needs to find a way to curtail his velocity a little bit throughout the season but paint with his slider and fastball like he did in June and July last year.

That might be the only way he stays healthy and effective throughout 2019.