Ceddanne Rafaela’s defense on center stage again in Oakland
Ceddanne Rafaela and his defense were on center stage again for the Red Sox in Oakland. And it’s nights like last night that can make you realize how much the Red Sox have changed.
And how poorly they were constructed in the past.
In a 5-4 win over the Oakland A’s that was harder than it should have been, Rafaela’s catch with one out in the 11th inning last night helped preserve the outcome and improve the Sox to 4-2 on the young season. The A’s had the ghost runner on second base when Shea Langeliers belted a ball to right center that Rafaela ran down for the second out, preventing a game-tying double (at least) and stopping the A’s from placing the game-winning run on the bases.
You can see the catch here:
Now, a few things here: first, by major league standards, this is not an otherworldly catch. It’s a good play, certainly, but it’s also the kind of play that most any capable major league center fielder would make. So why are we emphasizing it? Because the Red Sox of the last two years would not have made it, which isn’t so much an indictment on the players as it is an indictment of the way the Sox were built. While Sox players raved about Rafaela’s play, manager Alex Cora had a different perspective.
“From my end, I knew he had it the whole time,” Cora said after the game.
Added veteran shortstop Trevor Story: “To be honest, I was pretty comfy about it just because I know he’s out there. And he ran it down like he always does. That’s the type of player he is. He’s a game-changer. He saved the game for us right there.”
Still let’s be clear here. Rafaela’s speed is one thing. But Rafaela has innate ability to play defense, and his ability to read the ball off the bat and get good jumps also factors in mightily. Jarren Duran played center field earlier last night probably would have failed to make the play because he lacks Rafaela’s instincts. And if that feels like criticism of Duran, it isn’t. It’s really a criticism of the way Chaim Bloom built the Sox over a two-year span without any apparent concern for how the Sox played afield.

Mar 30, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Boston Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela (43) catches a line drive against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Let’s remember that the during the bulk of Bloom’s tenure, from 2020-23, the Sox made the most errors in baseball. They played people like Franchy Cordero and Christian Arroyo in the outfield and operated without a bona fide first baseman for multiple years. At times, they operated with more designated hitters that true positional players and looked like a beer league softball team. Lest anyone think otherwise, they’re still not perfect. (Second base continues to bear watching.)
That said, Rafaela last night shuffled between center field and second base to fill whatever needs manager Alex Cora had. In using his entire positional roster and all but three of his available pitchers, Cora employed 23 men from his roster. In the process, he lost his designated hitter. But he kept mixing and matching his roster in a way that hasn’t been noticeable for some time. Is that because of the roster? Or is that because because Cora, like his team, lapsed into a malaise under Bloom? The manager, after all, is in a contract year.
In the end, as is often the case, the truth is probably some mixture of multiple ingredients.
But the Red Sox look like a more focused, competitive and confident team than they have in years. In a 162-game season, that’s a good part of the battle.