Red Sox Place Ceddanne Rafaela On 10-Day IL

The Red Sox have placed center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Sept. 3) and recalled infielder/outfielder Nate Eaton from Triple-A Worcester, the team announced. Rafaela is dealing with a right quadriceps strain.

Rafaela, who missed Boston’s previous three games, will be eligible to return Sept. 13. Whether that happens will depend on the severity of the strain, but the Red Sox will have to go at least a week without another of their top position players. They were already down first baseman Willson Contreras, who has been on the IL with a hamstring strain since Aug. 31.

Thanks in no small part to Rafaela’s efforts, the Red Sox will enter Sunday’s series finale in Baltimore at 78-65 and in firm control of a Wild Card spot. Rafaela and Contreras are tied for the team lead in fWAR (3.9), the same total the former posted during a breakout showing in 2025. Over 569 trips to the plate, Rafaela has slashed .282/.317/.443 (108 wRC+) with 16 home runs and 17 stolen bases.

The 25-year-old Rafaela has combined quality offense with superb work in center, where he won a Gold Glove in 2025 and may do so again this season. He has accounted for 20 Defensive Runs Saved and 15 Outs Above Average and Fielding Run Value apiece. Rafaela is top seven among all major leaguers in each of those three categories, including a second-place tie with Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger in DRS. Rafaela only trails teammate and right fielder Wilyer Abreu (25) in that department.

Rafaela has sat out just five games since the beginning of June. The Red Sox started Eaton in center in one of those contests and used trade deadline acquisition Eli White for the rest. White will start there Sunday as the Red Sox go for a four-game sweep against the Orioles.