Ceddanne Rafaela exits game with right hamstring tightness

BOSTON -- In his first game back after a three-week absence, Ceddanne Rafaela exited early due to right hamstring tightness. The Boston Red Sox were reminded of what they had missed when their elite center fielder raced to the gap in right-center, making a diving catch that robbed the Cleveland Guardians' leadoff man Steven Kwan of a hit on Wednesday night.

However, Rafaela's impressive return was short-lived. During his first at-bat in the bottom of the second inning, he hit a single off the scoreboard in left field but appeared to be moving gingerly by the time he reached first base. He stretched his right leg after reaching the bag.

A visit from manager Chad Tracy and trainer Brandon Henry prompted Rafaela to briefly remain in the game. Yet when he went out to center field to warm up for the third inning, Tracy and Henry approached him again. Jarren Duran took over in center field after Rafaela exited. The team later confirmed he experienced right hamstring tightness.

"Just saw him continuing to flex it. That's all. He seemed to have felt some cramping in the back there," Tracy said during an ESPN broadcast. "When he went back out there, he kept flexing it, so we said, let's go ahead and make the change."

Rafaela had previously been on the 10-day injured list since September 6, retroactive to September 3, due to a right quadriceps strain. The Red Sox had not only missed Rafaela's exceptional defense but also his batting, particularly in a lineup that has struggled recently. Coming into Wednesday's game, Rafaela was enjoying the best offensive season of his career, hitting .282 with 16 home runs and 70 RBIs, along with 17 stolen bases.

To accommodate Rafaela's return on the roster, the Red Sox optioned outfielder Nate Eaton to Triple-A Worcester. Throughout much of the season, Rafaela had batted in the second position but returned to the lineup in the sixth spot.