Aroldis Chapman's concerning injury exit has a relatively positive explanation

The Boston Red Sox can't afford to lose Aroldis Chapman to an injury right now. So they were collectively holding their breath on Sunday when the reliever left the game against the Dodgers. Speculation was rampant about the reason for the exit, especially with his velocity clearly impacted. Fortunately, Alex Cora had an answer.

According to the manager, Chapman was dealing with a tight back. The Red Sox don't expect him to go on IL, which is the good news. The bad news is he's still day-to-day until further notice.

There were reports from Red Sox fans at Fenway that Chapman may have been sick in the dugout. It's not clear if that was the case, but it was weirdly the best case scenario. If the reliever was just ill, whatever was bothering him should be temporary.

A back issue is just slightly more concerning — though it's far better than the possibility of a full-blown injury. A tight back can still become something bigger, but it's not the kind of thing that will definitely sideline Chapman.

Concerns were heightened looking at Chapman's velocity in the eighth inning. As Mike Monaco pointed out, he had two fastballs under 94 mph.

Despite Chapman's troubles and subsequent exit, the Red Sox came away with a 4-3 win over the Dodgers. Jordan Hicks took over for Chapman and saw the rest of the game out without conceding a run.

The win gave the Red Sox the series win over LA. Though they dropped Friday's outing, they surged back to win on Saturday and Sunday. Garrett Crochet pitched a six-inning gem in the second game, while Alex Bregman's two-run homer put Boston up for good in the fifth inning of the third.

The Red Sox head on the road next to face the Twins with momentum swinging back their way. Chapman's availability for that series is in question, but at least they're looking at days and not weeks.