The Boston Red Sox were still without an ailing Ceddanne Rafaela as they began a critical series against the Baltimore Orioles, but the center fielder’s return could be nearing.
Rafaela has been out with soreness in his right quad, which kept him out of the last two games, but manager Chad Tracy shared some important news about his progress on Friday. Though he likely won’t return on Saturday, Rafaela could be back without having to make a stint on the injured list, the team’s interim manager shared.
Ceddanne Rafaela Getting Closer to a Return
Tracy told reporters that Rafaela is “unlikely” to return to the lineup on Saturday, but the team was hoping he would avoid a trip to the injured list and could return soon.
“He’s better today,” Tracy said, via NESN. “So it’s improved, but again I’m not in position where I’m running him out there until I hear he’s in a really, really good spot. We’re seeing improvements, which is good.”
Tracy added that the team would re-evaluate where Rafaela stands after another day of treatment on Saturday.
“We want to get through a full day of treatment and check back to see where he’s feeling,” Tracy said.
Ceddanne Rafaela Improving
That was an improvement from Thursday, when Tracy had no definitive timeline for when Rafaela could return.
“He’s still sore, so still some tightness and soreness in there,” Tracy said, via MLB.com. “So obviously, he’s off, and then we’ll essentially be day to day. He’s going to get treatment like crazy, and we’ll be day to day to see how he feels and how he’s progressing.”
Tracy was asked on Thursday whether Rafaela could be back after one or two games, but he could not commit to it.
“Very premature to say,” Tracy said. “It’s hard to say at this point. I think that’ll maybe become more clear over the next couple of days. I expected him to be sore today and tight, so we’ll get a better idea over the next couple of days of how much improvement you’re seeing, and that’ll be easier to answer. But right now, we’re not going to put them out there until we see good improvement.”
Tracy said the injury was likely an accumulation of his play in center field. Rafaela had appeared in 135 games this season, second-most on the team.
“[It’s] a little tight,” Rafaela said after the team’s win on Thursday. “But for me, it’s not something that is a big deal. It’s tight, and to push through it, I think, is not good for me and not the right time to do it. I think [we’ll] see how I wake up tomorrow and try to be ready. It’s not 100 percent, but it’s not something I’m going to be out for a while.”
Red Sox Announce Ceddanne Rafaela News Amid Injury Absence