The Red Sox won Game 1 of their ALDS matchup with the Yankees on Friday, and they did so despite their bullpen trying to give the game away. Four relievers were used between starter Chris Sale and closer Craig Kimbrel, and those four relievers allowed seven of the 14 batters they faced to reach base. Yikes.

Following Game 1, Red Sox manager Alex Cora revealed knuckleballer Steven Wright was not available out of the bullpen due to a knee injury. "(He) complained about his knee, and he wasn't available today. Actually, he had an MRI during the night, and we'll know more about it tomorrow," said Cora. Wright was expected to be part of the team's postseason setup crew. 

On Saturday, MLB announced Wright has been removed from the Red Sox's ALDS roster due to the knee injury, and replaced by righty Heath Hembree. MLB must review and approve all postseason injury replacements.

By rule, Wright can not only not return in the ALDS, he is also ineligible to play in the ALCS. He can return to the Red Sox in the World Series should the team advance that far. Players removed from the postseason roster due to injury have to skip the next round as well. That is MLB's way of preventing teams from manipulating their postseason rosters.

Wright, 34, has had on-and-off knee problems in recent years, and this season he threw 53 2/3 innings with a 2.68 ERA (163 ERA+). That includes 13 2/3 relief innings with only one earned run allowed in September. Wright was expected to see setup work in the ALDS, or, at the very least be a change of pace out of the bullpen with his knuckleball.

The Red Sox had middle relief issues during the season and they surfaced again in Game 1, though they did hang on for the win. Friday afternoon Cora said Hembree was left off the initial ALDS roster because he " wasn't keeping the ball in the ballpark," which can be problematic against a Yankees team that hit a record number of home runs during the regular season.

Given the team's bullpen situation, Cora will have to make some adjustments and figure things out on the fly in the middle innings, and that could mean using starters in relief on their throw day. Wright was going to be in that mix as a multi-inning reliever. Now that responsibility falls on Hembree and others.