Cristian Javier gives up two runs in loss to Angels

Rafaela was lifted from the contest shortly after he pulled up awkwardly while running out a second-inning single. He managed to stay in the game initially, but was removed for a defensive replacement in the third. The 26-year-old center fielder was playing in his first game back after missing two weeks with a quad strain earlier this month. The hope for the Red Sox is that his early departure was out of an abundance of caution. There should be an additional update on his status shortly.

Spence is in center field and hitting eight during one of the most important games of the season for Houston with both Daulton Varsho (wrist) and Brice Matthews (knee) unavailable due to injury. The 23-year-old has hit .162 (6-for-37) with three RBI across 14 games in the big leagues this season.

Matthews re-aggravated a previous left knee injury while making a sliding catch during Tuesday’s game against the Mariners. He’s done for the rest of the regular season and won’t be able to return until the AL Division Series, if the Astros manage to get that far.

It’ll be Lucas Spence taking over in center field after Brice Matthews was hurt during Tuesday’s game in Seattle. Varsho remains out for the third consecutive contest due to an ongoing left wrist issue.

It’s a significant loss for the Astros after Peña was drilled by a pitch on the right wrist during Tuesday’s series-opening win over Seattle that put them back in the driver’s seat in the AL West division race. The positive news is that X-rays came back negative for any fractures. Peña appears to have avoided a serious injury, but he’ll likely need some time off for the pain and swelling to subside before he’s ready to return. It’ll be defensive specialist Nick Allen taking over at shortstop and hitting ninth in his absence.

The declaration comes just a few days after Judge was placed on the injured list with a right calf strain last weekend. It’s a notable statement considering Yankees manager Aaron Boone said earlier on Wednesday that he does not expect to have Judge available for the Wild Card Series without ruling him out entirely. The 34-year-old franchise cornerstone’s status for next week’s Wild Card Series, which is a near-lock to be against the division-rival Red Sox, will be the biggest storyline in baseball leading into the postseason. It goes without saying that Judge will probably be on New York’s roster as a DH option for the three-game series, but it’s fair to question how ready he’ll be from a physical standpoint.

He briefly had a HBP, too, but it was overturned on replay because the pitch, which was actually in the strike zone, hit the knob of his bat, rather than his hand. That made it a foul tip, which was caught by the catcher for a strikeout. Keaschall’s homer was his 10th. He’s cooled off some in September, but he’s still hitting an exceptional .302/.394/.453 since the break.

The runs both scored in the fourth on a Shay Whitcomb popup down the right field line that no one could get to. Prielipp allowed four hits, walked two and struck out three before exiting a tie game. He ends his rookie season 6-7 with a 4.87 ERA and a fine 128/44 K/BB in 125 2/3 innings. He might have a little edge on Zebby Matthews and Mick Abel for a spot in the Twins rotation next spring, but that’s assuming that they leave an opening with Pablo López coming back.

Yoendrys Gómez got a win today after recording five outs between the sixth and seventh innings, and A.J. Minter notched a hold with a scoreless eighth. Morris’s save was his first since Aug. 24, when he got one out in relief of an ineffective Gómez, and second of the second half. Jeff Hoffman, who got a save last night, is probably the best bet in the Twins pen for saves this weekend.

Perdomo struck out two and walked none. He ends his late-season audition with a 3.65 ERA and a 14/7 K/BB in 24 2/3 innings over four starts and one relief appearances. He’ll still likely head back to Triple-A to start next year, and he could wind up as a reliever in the long run.