Breaking News: Boston Red Sox' Will Middlebrooks Leaves with Injury

It didn't look good and it doesn't sound good.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks was batting against the Baltimore Orioles during tonight's spring training game and appeared to injure his right wrist, according to ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes.

It happened in the first inning against Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman. It initially looked like Middlebrooks tried to check his swing on the 2-2 pitch and immediately dropped his bat and seemed to clutch his hand in pain.

Watching Middlebrooks leave the batters box, he immediately went into the dugout steps and fired his batting helmet at the bat rack in an obvious sign of frustration.

The major concern is that this is the same wrist that Middlebrooks injured last season and cut his season short. Middlebrooks had a very solid first season with the Red Sox until he broke his right wrist.

Going into the 2013 season, there was hope that Middlebrooks could fill some of the power void on the team and bat in the fifth spot in the lineup.

Given the early season injuries to David Ortiz and Mike Napoli, this is a potentially devastating injury if Middlebrooks misses part of this season.

The Red Sox are dangerously thin at third base at the major league level and in the minors, something detailed here by WEEI's Alex Speier.

ESPN's Buster Olney points out that this could be the second big injury this week in the AL East.