The Boston Red Sox have already clinched a playoff spot, but they have also lost three games in a row and eight of their last 12 after falling to the Cleveland Guardians 3-2 Tuesday night at Fenway Park.
The Red Sox have scored just 33 runs over that 12-game stretch, an average of just 2.75 per game — a concerning sign as they anticipate a best-of-three wild-card series against the New York Yankees. The Red Sox magic number for securing the No. 2 American League wild-card spot, and their date in the Bronx, is now three, meaning any combination of Boston wins and Chicago White Sox losses adding up to three over the final five games of the season locks down that second wild-card position.
The Red Sox offense, and defense, should be getting a boost starting Wednesday, with the Red Sox making an announcement on injured center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela.
Rafaela is back in the Boston Red Sox lineup Wednesday, returning from a right quadriceps strain after sitting out since Sept. 2. To make room on the roster for Rafaela, the Red Sox optioned outfielder Nate Eaton.
The All-Star center fielder has a narrow window to prove the layoff has not dulled his timing before the wild-card series opens Sept. 29.
Rafaela bats sixth and starts in center field against the Cleveland Guardians at Fenway Park, with first pitch at 7:10 p.m. EDT, according to The Boston Globe‘s Tim Healey. Sonny Gray (17-5, 2.82, 146 K) starts for Boston.
Manager Chad Tracy confirmed the activation after Rafaela stepped in against Garrett Crochet Tuesday for live at-bats. Crochet, working back from a left shoulder injury, fired 16 pitches between 94 and 96 mph.
“Nasty. As always,” Rafaela said.
The session was his final hurdle. Tracy had called Rafaela “much better” and “getting close” before Tuesday’s loss to Cleveland.
| BOSTON RED SOX STARTING LINEUP | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP: Sonny Gray (RHP #54) • 17-5, 2.82 ERA, 146 K | ||||
| September 23, 2026 • Fenway Park, Boston, MA • 7:10 PM EDT • Guardians at Red Sox | ||||
| # | Player | Pos | AVG | OPS |
| 1 | Roman Anthony | LF | .235 | .704 |
| 2 | Nick Sogard | 1B | .253 | .735 |
| 3 | Jahmai Jones | DH | .205 | .675 |
| 4 | Wilyer Abreu | RF | .251 | .784 |
| 5 | Adley Rutschman | C | .240 | .737 |
| 6 | Ceddanne Rafaela | CF | .282 | .760 |
| 7 | Caleb Durbin | 3B | .254 | .725 |
| 8 | Trevor Story | SS | .247 | .646 |
| 9 | Andruw Monasterio | 2B | .237 | .678 |
| Season stats shown (AVG / OPS). | ||||
Red Sox Get Rafaela Back From Quad Strain
Rafaela last played Sept. 2 against Seattle. Boston placed him on the 10-day injured list Sept. 6, retroactive to Sept. 3, according to Sports Illustrated.
“Until that strength number gets where they want it, that’s when they will ramp sprint exposure,” Tracy said Sept. 11, as quoted by SI.
The medical staff wanted the quad fully rebuilt before Rafaela ran at full speed. By Sept. 17, he was taking swings off a Trajekt pitching machine at Triple-A Worcester, according to RotoWire.
Rafaela was hitting .282 with a .760 OPS, 16 homers, 70 RBIs, 32 doubles and 17 steals in 135 games, good for a career-high 5.4 WAR, according to a Wednesday Sports Illustrated report.
Born Sept. 18, 2000, in Willemstad, Curaçao, Rafaela played in the 2012 Little League World Series and signed with Boston in July 2017, according to the Red Sox’ player biography.
He debuted Aug. 28, 2023, won the 2025 American League Gold Glove in center field and made his first All-Star team this July. Boston signed him in April 2024 to an eight-year extension that includes a 2032 club option, according to RotoWire.
| CLEVELAND GUARDIANS STARTING LINEUP | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP: Griffin (LHP #22) • 15-5, 3.67 ERA, 151 K | ||||
| September 23, 2026 • Fenway Park, Boston, MA • 7:10 PM EDT • Guardians at Red Sox | ||||
| # | Player | Pos | AVG | OPS |
| 1 | Steven Kwan | LF | .280 | .723 |
| 2 | José Ramírez | 3B | .236 | .697 |
| 3 | Chase DeLauter | DH | .292 | .826 |
| 4 | Jo Adell | RF | .241 | .696 |
| 5 | Travis Bazzana | 2B | .246 | .743 |
| 6 | Nathaniel Lowe | 1B | .253 | .770 |
| 7 | Patrick Bailey | C | .205 | .591 |
| 8 | Petey Halpin | CF | .222 | .587 |
| 9 | Brayan Rocchio | SS | .250 | .690 |
| Season stats shown (AVG / OPS). | ||||
Rafaela Brings Back His Clutch Bat
On May 13, Rafaela came off the bench and broke a tie with a two-run homer in a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
“You guys have seen it, there is a clutch gene in there with him. He tends to get big hits in big moments,” Tracy said at the time, as quoted by NESN.
On June 4, 2025, Rafaela wrapped a 308-foot, two-run homer around the Pesky Pole to beat the Los Angeles Angels 11-9, according to AP writer Jimmy Golen. No walk-off homer in the Statcast era has traveled a shorter distance.
A month later, he sent a two-run shot over the Green Monster off Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks for a 5-4 walk-off win, Boston’s eighth straight victory.
On Sept. 26, 2025, his walk-off triple off the center-field wall beat the Detroit Tigers 4-3 and clinched Boston’s first playoff berth since 2021, according to Associated Press reporting via FOX Sports.
This season, on July 27, his two-out grand slam off José Suarez supplied all four runs in a 4-2 win over the Athletics, Boston’s 10th straight road victory.
“I want to be in those positions to help my team out,” Rafaela said, as quoted by MLB.com’s Ian Browne.
Five regular-season games remain to find out how much of that clutch swing survived the layoff.
Red Sox Announce Sudden Ceddanne Rafaela Decision Before Guardians Game