The Boston Red Sox have decided to bench Ceddanne Rafaela amid a noticeable slump during the second half of the season, as the team looks to spark a turnaround. On Tuesday, with a game against the Baltimore Orioles underway, Rafaela was held out of the lineup where he had recently been struggling both offensively and defensively, coinciding with a position shift from his natural center field to second base.
Manager Alex Cora Seeks Mental and Mechanical Reset for Rafaela
Red Sox manager Alex Cora addressed the reasoning behind sitting Rafaela, expressing the need for a break to help the young player regain his confidence. Jarren Duran took over in center field while Romy Gonzalez continued to play second base.
“There’s a lot there right now,”
said Cora, per Ian Browne of MLB.com.
“So I think mental day will help him. I think, mechanics-wise, he’s off, and that’s something that me and (hitting coach) Pete (Fatse), we talked about it yesterday. So we’ll work on a few things. Tomorrow’s an off day. So hopefully he can get two and be ready for Thursday.”
Rafaela’s Performance Decline Correlates with Position Changes and Post-Break Slump
Since the All-Star break, Rafaela’s batting line has slipped sharply to a .194 average with an on-base percentage of .236 and a slugging percentage of .252, with no home runs in 28 games. A significant change has seen him play second base in 18 of those games, a stark increase from just two games at that position during the first 92 games of the season. The power Rafaela exhibited before the break, hitting five home runs in his final eight games, has vanished.
The Red Sox believe the position switch may be disrupting his rhythm. Rafaela’s swing has lacked the authority and hard contact he showed earlier, leading to more strikeouts and weaker contact. His once potent pull-side hitting has diminished, with a notable uptick in opposite-field contact that tends to be less productive.
Defensive Shift Reduces Rafaela’s Impact on the Field
Beyond offense, the positional change has also hampered Rafaela’s defensive value. While playing center field, he accumulated 16 outs above average, a significant defensive contribution. However, at second base, his defensive metrics show zero outs above average, reducing his overall impact on the team’s performance.
At just 24 years old, Rafaela’s fluctuations are part of his growth as a professional player. Nonetheless, the Red Sox need him to recover quickly, as his slump threatens to impact the team’s chances as they push toward the postseason.
Looking Ahead: The Importance of Rafaela’s Recovery for the Red Sox
With the Red Sox currently navigating a challenging stretch, finding a way to help Rafaela rediscover his form is critical. Alex Cora and his coaching staff appear committed to using upcoming rest days and targeted practice sessions to address both mental and mechanical issues. The hope is that this pause will allow Rafaela to return to the lineup invigorated and better positioned to contribute at both the plate and in the field.
The outcome of this approach could influence the Red Sox’s overall performance in the coming weeks, especially as they seek to end their home stand on a positive note and remain competitive in their division.