Red Sox Make Interesting Ceddanne Rafaela Decision

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Red Sox Make Interesting Ceddanne Rafaela Decision

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ezra Lombardi | Last updated May 31, 2026 11:55 AM ET

The Boston Red Sox made a surprising move on Sunday, scratching center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela from the lineup ahead of a series finale rubber match against the Cleveland Guardians.

Rafaela was in his usual spot in the original lineup that was released around 10:00 am EST, batting second and playing center field. But just over an hour later, and with just a couple of hours left until first pitch, the 25-year-old was notably absent from a new lineup card.

According to manager Chad Tracy, Rafaela is dealing with lower back tightness and the decision to sit both him and first baseman Willson Contreras (hand/wrist) is an attempt to get them extra rest ahead of Monday's scheduled day off.

Tracy indicated that Rafaela tweaked his back on a dive he made in Boston earlier in the week. Contreras, who has battled through hand and arm discomfort all season, was said to have aggravated the area by hyperextending on swings.

Ceddanne Rafaela has a sore lower back from a recent dive in Boston, Chad Tracy said. So the Red Sox want to give him today plus the off day tomorrow.

Willson Contreras occasionally hyperextends his elbow/arm on swings, so Tracy likewise wants to give him a rest.
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) May 31, 2026

Sliding over from left field to center in Rafaela's stead is Jarren Duran, and Masataka Yoshida was elevated from the designated hitter role to play left. The Red Sox will now deploy all three of the catchers on their roster, with Mickey Gaspar playing first and batting second, Carlos Narvaez behind the dish and batting ninth, and Connor Wong filling the DH duties and batting eighth.

Rafaela has been one of Boston's best and most consistent hitters all year, making impressive strides to dramatically cut his chase and whiff rate while utilizing the entire field. These changes have paid off to the tune of career bests in both batting average (.275) and OPS (.770).

Ceddanne Rafaela's 2026 breakout (.283/.347/.440, 119 wRC+) is driven by a huge change in swing philosophy. He's cut his chase rate from 46% -> 42% -> 36% & flattened his attack angle from 14° -> 12° - >10°. Resulting in a career-high 77% contact rate and a 24% line drive rate.
— Stats (@redsoxstats) May 29, 2026

The young outfielder has played in 55 of Boston's 57 games this year, starting 50 of those games in center field. In the early part of the season when the Red Sox had Roman Anthony healthy, it seemed that getting regular rest would not be a problem and rather finding the right rotation to keep guys fresh and effectively engaged would be the real struggle.

But now down a key piece, the club has had to lean on Duran, Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu every day, while Yoshida has finally gotten some opportunities to see consistent at bats. It doesn't seem like Tracy and the Red Sox expect Rafaela's absence to carry into next week, but it is certainly something to monitor considering their recent history to downplay injuries when they are first announced.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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