Rafaela exits with right hamstring tightness in 1st game back from IL

BOSTON -- After three weeks gone, and three pitches into Ceddanne Rafaela’s return to action, the Red Sox were quickly reminded of what they were missing.

The elite center fielder raced to the gap in right-center and made a diving catch to take extra bases away from Guardians leadoff man Steven Kwan on Wednesday night.

However, the glow didn’t last long. During his first at-bat, in the bottom of the second inning, Rafaela laced a single off the scoreboard in left.

Rafaela appeared to be moving gingerly about halfway down the line. When he got to the bag, he started stretching his right leg. After a visit from manager Chad Tracy and trainer Brandon Henry, Rafaela briefly stayed in the game.

But when he went out to warm up in center field to start the third inning, Tracy and Henry went to get him. Jarren Duran replaced Rafaela in center.

The team later said it was 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 to ESPN's Buster Olney on the broadcast. “When he went back out there, he kept flexing it, so we said, let's go ahead and make the change."

Rafaela had been on the 10-day injured list since Sept. 6 (retroactive to Sept. 3) with a right quadriceps strain.

Not only did the Sox miss Rafaela’s defense, but his bat has been missed in a lineup that has slumped of late.

In by far the best of his three full career seasons offensively, Rafaela came into his return Wednesday hitting .282 with 16 homers and 70 RBIs while stealing 17 bases.

To make room for Rafaela’s return on the roster, the Sox optioned outfielder Nate Eaton to Triple-A Worcester.

For most of the season, Rafaela has batted second. He was in the sixth spot for his return.