Betts hurting; Young chips in; Game 4 starter unknown

HOUSTON – As if the Red Sox didn’t already have enough problems, Mookie Betts came out of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning after once again aggravating his sore left wrist with a swing in his final at-bat.

Betts, who made an error in the sixth when he juggled the transfer and allowed a run to score, backed out of the box after a swing impacted the wrist he’s been dealing with for the past several weeks.

“He got a little bit of a zinger in the final at-bat,’’ said John Farrell, “and just as a precaution, I got him off his feet. I don’t anticipate this being anything that lingers.’’

“It’s alright,’’ said Betts after the Red Sox’ 8-2 Game 2 loss. “I had a little flareup, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as the first time, so I’ll be alright.’’

Betts had the injury crop up in the final two weeks of the regular season and received a cortisone shot to help with the pain in the final week.

“It was just a swing,’’ said Betts recounting Friday’s problem. “It happened to fast, I wasn’t exactly sure why or what makes it happen. It was just a little twist of my wrist and the contact with my ball where my swing is…honestly, I don’t know.  I just know certain pitches and certain swings (are difficult).’’

The Sox and Astros are off Saturday, giving Betts some additional time to recover. But he said if the schedule called for him to play Saturday, he could.

“Even if it was tomorrow, I could play,’’ he said. “It’s just one of those things that it takes time to heal. It can’t get worse. But like I said, it just takes time to heal and I don’t have that kind of time right now.’’

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A few days ago, Chris Young wasn’t even on the Red Sox post-season roster. Then, thanks to the injury to Eduardo Nunez Thursday, he was not only on the roster, but in the starting lineup Friday, serving as the team’s DH.

He doubled in his first at-bat, stole third and scored the Red Sox’ first run of the day when Jackie Bradley Jr. shot a single through the middle.  In his second at-bat, he lined out to short before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the sixth as the Astros went to righthander Chris Devenski to replace lefty starter Dallas Keuchel.

“CY, you’ve got to give him a lot of credit,’’ said teammate Xander Bogaerts. “He wasn’t even on the roster and he comes in today and puts up a double and stolen base.’’

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The Sox are still undecided on their Game 4 starter – should such a game be necessary.

Doug Fister gets the Game 3 starting assignment, but Game 4 could be one of any number of choices from Chris Sale to Rick Porcello to Eduardo Rodriguez, to, improbably, David Price.

Farrell said Sale might not be available for Monday after throwing 100 pitches in a losing start in Game 1. The manager said while he wasn’t ready to eliminate Sale going on three days’ rest , he was a more likely choice for a Game 5, Wednesday.

Porcello, who pitched an inning out of the bullpen in Game 1, would be available. Rodriguez faced two batters in relief Friday and retired neither, but the short stint wouldn’t take him out of a Monday start.

Finally, there’s Price, who’s pitched only in relief since returning from the DL in mid-September.  Farrell was asked if Price starting could be an option in the upcoming games.

“It wouldn’t be on Sunday,’’ said Farrell, seemingly not closing the door on a Monday start, even if it would be limited in length. “I think what we’re seeing is 40 pitches is about the comfort zone which he’s built out at.’’