Red Sox lose Chris Sale to broken pinkie

Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale had a broken pinkie finger on his pitching hand after being hit by a line drive against the New York Yankees on Sunday, yet another setback in an injury-plagued year for the Boston ace.

Sale screamed out in pain after being struck by Aaron Hicks’ 106.7-mph liner with two outs in the first inning at Yankee Stadium. The ball deflected into right field for an RBI single that gave New York a 3-0 lead.

Sale immediately ran off the field, holding up his fractured hand. The seven-time All-Star was hurt on the final day of play before the All-Star break.

Sale, 33, was making his second start since returning from a fractured rib. He threw 78 pitches in five scoreless innings Tuesday at Tampa Bay, and tossed 24 pitches at Yankee Stadium before being forced to leave.

During the Major League Baseball lockout, Sale broke a rib while working out on his own.

Sale, who is signed through 2024 in a five-year, $145 million deal, has thrown just 48 1/3 innings for the Red Sox since the end of the 2019 season.

Last season, he went 5-1 with a 3.16 ERA in nine starts in his return from Tommy John surgery.

Red Sox reliever Hirokazu Sawamura replaced Sale. Boston began the day 15 1/2 games behind the AL East-leading Yankees, who have the best record in the majors.

Reporting by Associated Press.