New York (AFP) - Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale's return from injury has been cut short, the left-hander exiting a game against the New York Yankees with a broken finger after he was hit by a line drive off the bat of Aaron Hicks.
The comebacker was travelling 106.7mph when it struck Sale's left hand, leaving Sale clearly in pain.He departed the field, showing manager Alex Cora his bent left pinkie finger.
The Red Sox said he had a left fifth finger fracture.
The Yankees were already up 2-0 when Hicks connected with a Sale changeup, the ball hitting the pitcher before bouncing into right field to score another New York run.
The first-inning departure was another setback for seven-time All-Star Sale, who missed all of 2020 and much of 2021 after having "Tommy John" elbow ligament surgery.
He started this season on the injured list because of a stress fracture in his right rib cage, finally returning to action on July 12 when he pitched five scoreless innings against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Sale is in the third year of a five-year, $145 million contract extension he signed in 2019.
In 2018, he helped Red Sox win the World Series, recording the final outs in the decisive game-five victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
