Player News

• Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Included in Saturday's lineup

  19D ago • By 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.

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• Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Could be back this weekend

  21D ago • By 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.

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• Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Will focus primarily on CF

  01/03/2025 • By 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.

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• Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Getting rest Saturday

  09/28/2024 • By RotoWire

  Rafaela isn't in Boston's lineup Saturday versus the Rays. Rafaela is just 5-for-35 with five RBI over his last 10 games and will grab a seat on the bench to begin Saturday's contest. Vaughn Grissom will get the nod to start at second base and bat ninth.

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• Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Absent from lineup

  09/25/2024 • By 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.

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