Final 12 months the Pink Sox had a novel and enviable drawback, which was that at full energy the membership had extra starting-caliber outfielders than it had obtainable lineup spots.
Accidents saved that from being a problem a lot of the season, however for some stretches the one manner the membership might accommodate everybody was by enjoying Gold Glove middle fielder Ceddanne Rafaela at second base.
With Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Masataka Yoshida and Rafaela all set to return the Pink Sox might face an identical logjam this season, however each supervisor Alex Cora and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow signaled that they’d want to not transfer Rafaela to the infield once more.
“We’ll speak about that one, however most likely not,” Cora stated.
“Ceddanne is an extremely gifted athlete and may affect a recreation in so some ways, and it makes it very easy when you possibly can put him at second base or play shortstop for a very long time for us like in ’24 when Trevor (Story) was damage, however he’s game-changing in middle subject,” Breslow stated. “We noticed that this 12 months, and giving him the consistency of enjoying the identical place every single day additionally has advantages for his offense.”
Final 12 months Rafaela delivered a breakout season within the outfield, rating second in MLB throughout all positions in defensive runs saved at middle (plus-20) en path to his first profession Gold Glove.
His affect defensively at second, nonetheless, was way more modest. In 24 video games on the place he was simply plus-one defensive runs saved.
Recognizing Rafaela’s worth within the outfield, it was extensively anticipated across the recreation that the Pink Sox would clear a spot by buying and selling considered one of their incumbent gamers, more than likely Duran or Abreu. However up up to now that hasn’t occurred, and Breslow stated it was by no means one thing he thought of an pressing precedence.
“It was by no means seemingly in my thoughts,” Breslow stated. “We’ve bought actually gifted outfielders and when groups name that’s what different executives level to. They’re younger, they’re controllable, they’re dynamic, they’re gifted, they’ll affect video games in a number of methods. It’s very nice to have the ability to say they’re additionally members of the Boston Pink Sox.”
So how will the Pink Sox accommodate everybody if Rafaela isn’t going to play second? Cora stated he expects to rotate gamers by means of extra recurrently, although he added that Rafaela and Abreu — each Gold Glove winners — will seemingly play as a rule.
“I feel retaining guys wholesome is one thing we at all times speak about,” Cora stated. “They’re good outfielders, all of them, as a unit they’re the very best in baseball. We simply have to determine the stadium, workload, and all that, however Willy and Ceddanne, they’re the very best within the enterprise, they most likely shall be enjoying essentially the most within the outfield.”
