Like everyone, Ceddanne Rafaela makes careless errors, too (Video)
Ceddanne Rafaela is, after all, human, which means even he makes careless errors, too.
As dynamic as the Rafaela has been in center field to start the 2024 season, he made a mistake last night that cost the Red Sox and should serve as a good learning experience. In the Sox’ eventual 8-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, the Red Sox were leading 5-1 in the sixth inning when Angels outfielder Taylor Ward led off with a routine liner to center field. Rafaela nonchalantly tried to catch the ball and throw it right back into the infield when the seemingly unthinkable happened: he dropped it.
You can the mistake for yourself here:
While the Rafaela initially seemed to plead with umpires that he dropped the ball in transition, replays clearly show that he never really had possession of the ball. The result was Rafaela’s second error of the season, the first coming when he bobbled a ball in Oakland while back up right fielder Wilyer Abreu. (On that play, Abreu was far more worthy of criticism than Rafaela, who has shown both a willingness and reliability when it comes to backing up the plays of his outfield mates.)
In any case, last night’s mistake proved costly. Again, the Red Sox were holding a 5-1 lead at the time and seemed en route to a relatively easy victory. Instead, Enmanuel Valdez followed Rafaela’s error with another, after which point Sox reliever Greg Weissert hit second baseman Brandon Drury with a pitch to load the bases. What happened next? You guessed it. One out later, catcher Logan O’Hoppe belted a grand slam that tied the game at 5 and turned the night into a nail biter.
While the Sox eventually won the game, 8-6, the night did prove costly. The Sox also lost shortstop Trevor Story in the fourth inning to what appeared to be a significant shoulder injury. Story is expected to undergo an MRI today for further evaluation.
Story, of course, missed much of last year after suffering an off-season elbow injury that required a procedure. Much of the Red Sox’ off-season plan was built around Story’s ability to improve their defense by being their everyday shortstop.
