Boston Red Sox interim manager Ron Roenicke said Thursday that left-hander Chris Sale will start the season on the injured list.

Sale is recovering from the flu and pneumonia, and earlier this month, Roenicke made it clear the Red Sox would not rush Sale's return. Roenicke said Sale is about two weeks behind.

Sale missed the last six weeks of the 2019 season with a left elbow injury, but this move is unrelated.

Sale, 30, finished 6-11 with a 4.40 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in 147⅓ innings last season. He won his last two starts in August before the club shut him down.

Boston, a year after winning the World Series, finished in third place in the American League East, at 84-78.