Boston Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela (3) cleans his cleats in the dugout against the Washington Nationals during the eighth inning at Nationals Park on July 6. Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Boston Red Sox Reportedly Making Decision That Could Help Alleviate Roster Concerns

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Brady Farkas | Last updated Jul 25, 2025 5:52 PM ET

According to Boston Red Sox Insider Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald, the Red Sox are set to play Ceddanne Rafaela at second base more often in the wake of Marcelo Mayer's trip to the injured list.

Ceddanne Rafaela will play more second base while Marcelo Mayer is on the IL, Alex Cora said.
— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) July 25, 2025

This is significant for a few reasons:

1) Rafaela is an excellent outfielder who will no longer be playing the outfield as often.

2) It could mean that the Red Sox won't be trading away an outfielder at the looming trade deadline. Boston has a roster crunch, with Rafaela, Jarren Duran, Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, Masataka Yoshida and Rob Refsnyder all vying for time in the outfield/designated hitter, and with Rafaela at second base, that problem becomes easier to handle.

Cora said to expect lots of Rafaela at 2B and an outfield of Anthony-Duran-Abreu with Yoshida DHing. It turns out they didn’t have too many outfielders after all.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) July 25, 2025

Boston could trade an outfielder in the offseason, but with the team currently sitting in the No. 3 spot in the American League wild card race, it's likely not something they want to do now.

Rafaela, 24, is having a breakout year for Boston, hitting .271 with 14 home runs and 48 RBIs. He's also stolen 14 bases and posted an OPS+ of 114.

The Curacao native made his major league debut in 2023 and signed an eight-year contract extension through the 2031 season in 2024.

The Red Sox will take on the reigning World Champion Dodgers on Friday night with first pitch coming at 7:10 p.m. ET. Right-hander Emmett Sheehan will pitch for LA while Brayan Bello goes for Boston.

Bello is 6-4 with a 3.23 ERA. The Red Sox enter play at 55-49 overall.

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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