Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was removed from the game in Kansas City on Friday night soon after taking a pitch square in the middle of his upper back.
Ellsbury took his base after being hit by an Everett Teaford offering to begin the top of the eighth. He eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Adrian Gonzalez, but was replaced in center field to begin the bottom half of the inning.
Boston was up 7-1 at the time, so it seemed to be a precautionary move. However, manager Terry Francona said the medical staff will keep a close eye on the All-Star center fielder.
"He's sore," Francona said after the game. "We'll get him checked. We'll treat him tonight. We'll certainly check on him in the morning and see how he is."
It’s not the first time that Ellsbury has been hurt in Kansas City. It was April 11 of last year when he suffered broken ribs in a collision with Adrian Beltre. He played just 12 games thereafter.
Earlier in Friday night's game, Ellsbury made one of the better defensive plays of his outstanding season when he tracked down a drive into the right-center field gap off the bat of Alex Gordon. Ellsbury also had a sacrifice fly and a single in the victory.
