Chris Sale exits early after line drive causes hand injury

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale. Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale exits after line drive causes gruesome hand injury

By Adam Stites | Last updated 7/17/22

Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale immediately walked off the field and straight to the clubhouse after a line drive off the bat of the New York Yankees' Aaron Hicks hit him in the hand Sunday.

Sale, 33, appeared to have a significant finger injury, holding up his hand to show Red Sox manager Alex Cora that his pinky was pointing the wrong direction.

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Sale was making only his second start of the season after a right rib stress fracture kept him out of action for the first three months. In his first game of the year, Sale allowed only three hits and kept the Tampa Rays scoreless through five innings on Monday.

The seven-time All-Star missed all of the 2020 season due to Tommy John surgery and the recovery cost him much of the 2021 season, as well. He finished last year with a 5-1 record and 3.16 ERA in nine starts.

Earlier this month, Sale earned unwanted attention for a clubhouse meltdown following a rehab start with Triple-A Worcester.

Sale was replaced Sunday by Hirokazu Sawamura. The Red Sox are currently 15.5 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East, but only a game behind the Toronto Blue Jays for a wild card berth.

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