Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Weekly starts at keystone
Rotowire
Rafaela will be added to the mix at second base and possibly play one or two games per week at the position, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports. "Give him one or maybe two starts at second so we can get everybody else in the lineup," Boston manager Alex Cora said.
Occasionally moving Rafaela to second base would allow Cora to get as many left-handed bats into the lineup as possible against righties, and reduce the logjam in the outfield. On the days when Rafaela plays second base, Jarren Duran will patrol center field with Roman Anthony in left and Wilyer Abreu in right, while Masataka Yoshida serves as the designated hitter.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Notches 14th long ball
Rotowire
Rafaela went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Sunday's 4-1 win against the Rays.
The Boston center fielder extended his team's lead to 4-1 with a 352-foot blast off Tampa Bay starter Ryan Pepiot in the sixth inning. This marks Rafaela's fifth home run in July, as he's been scorching hot with a .390 (16-for-41) average, six doubles, 15 RBI and 10 runs scored across 11 games this month. The 24-year-old appears to be amid a breakout season, as he's now slashing .271/.314/.483 with 55 runs scored and 48 RBI while going 13-for-15 on steal attempts in 341 total plate appearances.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Getting first start of 2025 at 2B
Rotowire
Rafaela will start at second base and bat second in Saturday's game against the Rays, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Rafaela has batted ninth and played center field virtually all season, but he'll be in new spots on defense and in the lineup Saturday after his walk-off home run Friday extended Boston's win streak to eight games. He's been smoking hot of late, going 14-for-31 (.452) with four home runs, six doubles and 13 RBI during the team's win streak.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Plays hero with walk-off blast
Rotowire
Rafaela went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and a walk-off two-run homer in Friday's 5-4 win over the Rays.
Rafaela delivered both early and late, driving in Boston's first run with a second-inning RBI single before capping off the comeback with a walk-off two-run homer in the ninth. The 24-year-old outfielder has been hot at the plate recently, recording a hit in each of his last eight games, going 14-for-31 (.452) with five multi-hit performances, 13 RBI and nine runs scored during that stretch.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Stepping out of lineup Wednesday
Rotowire
Rafaela is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rockies.
Rafaela will put his six-game hitting streak on hold and will head to the bench for the first time since June 18 while Jarren Duran gets a start in center field in his stead. With Masataka Yoshida (shoulder) returning from the 60-day injured list Tuesday and entering the lineup at designated hitter, the Red Sox will have a bit of a logjam in the outfield, where Roman Anthony is likely to be more of a factor moving forward. Though Rafaela is the Red Sox's best defensive center fielder, manager Alex Cora acknowledged that the 25-year-old could get consideration for more spot starts in the infield, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. Though he's played exclusively in center field in 2025, Rafaela made 71 starts at shortstop and four at second base last season, in addition to playing seven innings as a reserve at third base. The keystone would seem to be the most logical position for the Red Sox to use Rafaela in order to free up more at-bats for others in the outfield, as Boston has recently been getting by with a rotation of Romy Gonzalez, David Hamilton and Marcelo Mayer at the position.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Stays hot Sunday
Rotowire
Rafaela went 3-for-4 with a double, a solo home run and an additional run scored in Sunday's 6-4 win over the Nationals.
Rafaela gave the Red Sox some insurance with his 407-foot blast off Andrew Chafin in the ninth inning, his third hit of the game and 11th homer this season. It's the third multi-hit performance in four games for Rafaela -- he's gone 8-for-17 (.471) with two homers and six extra-base hits in that span. Overall, the 24-year-old outfielder is batting .264 with a .763 OPS, 50 runs scored, 38 RBI and 11 steals across 319 plate appearances this year.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Delivers three RBI before exiting
Rotowire
Rafaela exited Saturday's 10-3 win over the Nationals in the bottom of the eighth inning after he slipped and tumbled while trying to stretch a double into a triple in the top of the frame, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports. He went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI before being removed.
Rafaela was ultimately thrown out at third base before Nate Eaton subbed in for him in the bottom of the inning, but Rafaela's early exit was likely just precautionary since the Red Sox had built a seven-run lead. The center fielder has gotten off to a hot start to July with five extra-base hits (one home run, four doubles), four RBI and three runs in four games.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Getting afternoon off
Rotowire
Rafaela is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mariners, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
The Red Sox will give Rafaela a breather for the day game after a night game, ending a stretch of 19 consecutive starts for the 24-year-old during which he slashed .310/.347/.521 with four home runs and three stolen bases. Kristian Campbell will step in for Rafaela in center field.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Making start in right field
Rotowire
Rafaela is making his first-ever start in right field at the major-league level Monday versus the Rays.
It's the second-ever appearance and first start in right field at the big-league level for Rafaela. Kristian Campbell is covering center field for the Red Sox.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Belts fifth homer
Rotowire
Rafaela went 3-for-5 with a double and a two-run home run in Tuesday's 4-3 extra-inning loss to the Angels.
The center fielder tied the game at 3-3 by taking Yusei Kikuchi deep in the sixth inning, but the Boston offense fell quiet after that. Rafaela has gone yard in back-to-back games, giving him five homers on the year, and he's hit safety in seven straight contests -- a stretch in which he's batting a blistering .448 (13-for-29) with two doubles, three homers, four RBI and five runs.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Leaves the yard
Rotowire
Rafaela went 2-for-4 with a solo home run during Monday's 7-6 loss to the Angels.
Rafaela doesn't hit too many home runs, with his eighth-inning blast being just his fourth of the season. The speedy center fielder has been hot at the plate lately, extending his hitting streak to six games. Over that stretch, the 24-year-old is 10-for-24 with two home runs.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Pops third homer
Rotowire
Rafaela went 3-for-5 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 6-5 extra-inning loss to the Brewers.
The 24-year-old opened the scoring in the top of the second inning when he lofted a Freddy Peralta fastball just over the fence in left-center field. Rafaela ended a 26-game homer drought with the blast, his third of the year, while the three hits tied his season high. Through 25 contests in May, he's hitting .253 (21-for-83) with five RBI and 19 runs while routinely batting at the bottom of the Boston order.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Drives in five in win
Rotowire
Rafaela went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and five RBI in Sunday's 13-3 win over the Guardians.
Rafaela delivered with men on base on three separate occasions Sunday, including a three-run homer in the seventh. Over his past 10 games, the 24-year-old has tallied four extra-base hits, scored six runs and stolen two bases. On the season, he's hitting .233 with two home runs, 15 RBI, 14 runs scored and six steals across 95 plate appearances.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Day off Thursday
Rotowire
Rafaela is absent from the lineup for Thursday's contest versus the Mariners.
Rafaela started the first two games of the series and reached base four times, but he'll take a seat in Thursday's matinee. Kristian Campbell is in center field for the Red Sox, while David Hamilton is getting a start at second base.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Returns to lineup Tuesday
Rotowire
Rafaela went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Tuesday's 7-4 win over Tampa Bay.
The struggling Rafaela returned to the lineup after sitting out the first game of the series. He entered Tuesday batting .220/.291/.260 with a 46 percent chase rate over 55 plate appearances. Red Sox manager Alex Cora told Christopher Smith of MassLive.com on Tuesday that Rafaela has been "swinging a lot" and wants to see the outfielder be more selective. The manager added that even when there are pitches to hit, Rafaela is rushing his swing.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: On bench to start twin bill
Rotowire
Rafaela is out of the lineup for the first game of Sunday's doubleheader against the Cardinals, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports.
The 24-year-old was scheduled to sit Saturday prior to that game being postponed, and he'll stick on the bench for the opener of the twin bill. Rafaela could use the reset, as he has gone 3-for-26 through eight games this season. Kristian Campbell is instead manning center field, opening up the keystone for David Hamilton.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Included in Saturday's lineup
Rotowire
Rafaela (hamstring) is in the lineup for Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.
A bout of hamstring tightness has kept Rafaela out of action since last Sunday, but he is now ready to resume his preparations for the start of the season. Rafaela wasn't much above replacement level last season by fWAR, but he moved the needle for fantasy managers with 15 homers and 19 steals in 152 games. The 24-year-old is expected to once again serve as Boston's primary center fielder in 2025.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Could be back this weekend
Rotowire
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that Rafaela (hamstring) will do some running Thursday and could return to Grapefruit League play this weekend, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports.
Rafaela hasn't played since Sunday because of hamstring tightness, but he is making progress and it doesn't sound like his absence will extend much longer. The 24-year-old is expected to be Boston's primary center fielder this season.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Will focus primarily on CF
Rotowire
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said earlier this week that the plan is to keep Rafaela in center field next season "as much as possible," Sean McAdam of MassLive.com reports.
Rafaela made 72 starts in center field, 71 starts at shortstop and four starts at second base in 2024. Center field is his best defensive position, and he will no longer be needed at shortstop, provided the Red Sox get a healthy season out of Trevor Story. The Red Sox have an opening at second base, but the club wants Rafaela to focus on one position, believing his production could have been affected in 2024 because he was bouncing around to different spots. There could be a potential outfield playing time crunch on the horizon, however, with Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu on the roster and top prospect Roman Anthony nearly big-league ready. Rafaela might see fewer starts at that point, or Boston could reconsider using him in the infield.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Absent from lineup
Rotowire
Rafaela is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game in Toronto, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
Rafaela appears to be receiving a routine day off after he started each of the previous five contests. Jarren Duran will shift over to center field in Rafaela's stead, and Enmanuel Valdez will cover second base for the Red Sox.
