Ceddanne Rafaela was just making his return to the Boston Red Sox lineup on Wednesday night.
He lasted two innings.
Before the top of the third, manager Chad Tracy and a trainer walked to centerfield and met with Rafaela after he had jogged out to the field.
Eventually, they walked back off with their All Star.
Jarren Duran came on to play centerfield. Rafaela walked off slowly.
Ceddanne Rafaela Injury Update
Rafaela had reached base the first time through the order, but as he rounded first base, he reached for his right hamstring.
It wasn’t clear when in his strides he may have hurt something, but that was clearly where he was feeling something in pain.
There’s not much more known in the immediate aftermath.
The ESPN broadcasters discussed that Rafaela’s game depends on fast-twitch movements, and so he was particularly at risk of aggravating some kind of muscle injury.
The Red Sox are almost assured of the 5-seed in the American League, and they have already clinched a playoff spot, so there isn’t a ton to play for at this point.
Boston’s most important task is having Rafaela healthy for the postseason, which begins on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
Why Was Ceddanne Rafaela Out?
Rafaela had just missed the last 17 games for Boston on the injured list.
He had been out due to a right quad strain, so that could be the same injury he was feeling running the bases on Wednesday night.
Rafaela had been working hard to tune up, although he hadn’t actually gotten into a rehab game despite spending time with Triple-A Worcester.
“I know he’s taken a ton of live at-bats since this weekend, which was really beneficial to him,” Tracy told reporters before Wednesday’s game. “From everything I heard from people who saw him in Worcester and here, he looked really good.”
Tracy also had this to say about Rafaela, which emphasizes his importance to the Red Sox:
“It’s great to have him back. He’s a huge piece of this on both sides of the ball. He’s had a heck of an offensive season. We’re all well-aware of his capabilities as a defender in center field. He changes the game — he can run — so he can change a game in so many ways. Having him back is huge.”
Tracy also sounded aware that something like this could happen before the game, when he said, “Now it just becomes, get him out there, check out his gait, check in with him frequently.”
The manager even added, “If we have to pull the plug early in a game just to say that’s enough load, we’ll do it.”
The Red Sox reached that point quickly. Now, their fans will hope the ailment isn’t too serious.
Red Sox’s Ceddanne Rafaela Injury Update Doesn’t Look Good