The Boston Red Sox have dealt with their share of injury trouble this season, and there’s little reason to think that changes down the stretch. But the team got some encouraging news on one of its more important players with the postseason approaching.
Rafaela’s Recovery Progress
Ceddanne Rafaela has been sidelined since Sept. 3 with a strained right quadriceps, an injury that’s kept the center fielder out of Boston’s lineup for more than two weeks. According to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe, Rafaela worked out at Worcester on Saturday and faced live pitching for the first time since going down, a real step forward in his recovery. “I felt comfortable,” Rafaela said. “My body is rested, and I feel ready to go.”
The last real hurdle is testing a full-effort sprint, something he plans to attempt Sunday. If that goes well, Rafaela is hopeful he can be back in Boston’s lineup by Tuesday against the Guardians. Reports out of Worcester have also had him doing hitting work off a Trajekt machine, another small but positive sign that his timeline is trending in the right direction.
Why Rafaela’s Return Matters for the Red Sox
His absence has been felt. Rafaela was hitting .282 with 32 doubles before the injury. He was also playing elite defense in the outfield. That made him one of the more valuable pieces in Boston’s lineup this season. Losing a player performing at that level is difficult. It’s even harder heading into the most important part of the schedule.
The Red Sox have roughly a week and a half of regular-season games remaining. The timing of Rafaela’s return still carries some uncertainty. There’s a real scenario where he needs a few rehab games at the Triple-A level before rejoining the club. That could push his actual return closer to the start of a potential Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees, assuming that’s how the postseason picture shakes out. Boston will likely want to be cautious with the timeline given how much defensive range and offensive production Rafaela brings when healthy.
Still, getting him back on the field in any capacity right now is a positive sign. The Red Sox want their full roster available once October arrives.
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