Chris Sale appears to avoid serious injury after getting struck by liner in final spring start

Author: R.J. Anderson, CBS Sports
Published:
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale works against Toronto Blue Jays during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Saturday July 1, 2017. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

On Friday, a poorly located comebacker fractured Madison Bumgarner’s hand. As a result, Bumgarner will be sidelined for at least a month, and perhaps longer. Boston Red Sox fans had sufficient reason to think about the San Francisco Giants ace on Saturday — especially after Chris Sale took a liner off his leg before exiting.

The good news — for Sale, the Red Sox, and baseball as a whole — is that Sale’s injury is being listed as a hip contusion, pending further evaluation:

If that’s all that comes of this, consider it a fortunate break for the Red Sox, who are already dealing with a number of injuries to their rotation. Drew Pomeranz has been battling forearm tightness; Eduardo Rodriguez is recovering from knee surgery; and Steven Wright has to work his way back from his own knee operation before serving his 15-game suspension.

The Red Sox can weather all the above just fine — provided Sale, David Price, and Rick Porcello stay well. Otherwise, things will get a little tricky. For now, it seems like the Red Sox just might be safe.

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