July 9, 2025 5:05 PM : Rafaela is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rockies.
Analysis: Rafaela will put his six-game hitting streak on hold and will head to the bench for the first time since June 18 while Jarren Duran gets a start in center field in his stead. With Masataka Yoshida (shoulder) returning from the 60-day injured list Tuesday and entering the lineup at designated hitter, the Red Sox will have a bit of a logjam in the outfield, where Roman Anthony is likely to be more of a factor moving forward. Though Rafaela is the Red Sox's best defensive center fielder, manager Alex Cora acknowledged that the 25-year-old could get consideration for more spot starts in the infield, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. Though he's played exclusively in center field in 2025, Rafaela made 71 starts at shortstop and four at second base last season, in addition to playing seven innings as a reserve at third base. The keystone would seem to be the most logical position for the Red Sox to use Rafaela in order to free up more at-bats for others in the outfield, as Boston has recently been getting by with a rotation of Romy Gonzalez, David Hamilton and Marcelo Mayer at the position.