Red Sox’ Ceddanne Rafaela, usually a defense-first player, caps ‘otherworldly’ week with two more homers
· Yahoo Sports
LOS ANGELES — Ceddanne Rafaela is accustomed to making big contributions to Red Sox wins.
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He won a Gold Glove for his defensive play a year ago, and given that he leads all American League center fielders in defensive runs saved, is likely on his way to another.
But in the last week, Rafaela is reminding everyone that he can help win games in other ways, too. On Monday night in Sacramento, his sixth-inning grand slam accounted for all four runs in a win over the Athletics.
In the series opener here Friday night, he smoked a two-run homer that propelled the Sox to a five-run seventh inning in a 9-4 Red Sox victory.
Then, as if to top that, he launched solo homers off Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the first and third innings. Those stood as the only hits off Yamamoto through the first seven innings of what turned out to be a 3-2 victory over the Dodgers.
“Off of a very good pitcher, two big swings from him,” said interim manager Chad Tracy. “He’s otherworldly right now. He’s been outstanding, really good all year, obviously. The home runs on this road trip are showing up and so many of them have been massive home runs.
“I think it’s safe to say he’s been probably the most key contributor to some of these wins.”
Prior to this season, Rafaela’s performance could be boom-or-bust. When he was hot, he could fire an offense for a week or so. But be could just as quickly turn cold, chase pitches out of the zone and pile up strikeouts.
This year has been different. Rafaela has found a consistency at the plate and largely avoided dramatic downturns.
Meanwhile, the highs have remained. He now has 14 homers and is virtually guaranteed to top his career-best in homers of 16, achieved last season.
“I think I was hunting something hard, out over (the plate),” said Rafaela of his two shots against Yamamoto, both on split-finger fastballs. “His fastball is really good, so I was ready for the fastball, but always knowing that I’m good hitting off-speed. I was just ready.”
Rafaela, though happy that the runs were critical to the Red Sox win, said he took no particular satisfaction from hitting them off Yamamoto, one of the game’s most dominant starters.
“I think we’ve been beating a lot of good pitchers and putting up good ABs,” he said. “I think we’ve been doing a good job against good team, so I think we already know what we’re capable of. We’re just going to keep winning ballgames.”
Still, there’s no denying that Rafaela’s stretch at the plate matches the heatwave currently sweeping southern California. He’s hit safely in seven games with four homers and 11 RBI.
“Right now, I do feel good at the plate. I’m making the right decision on the right pitches and that’s what I need to keep doing to have these results.”
That Rafaela has contributed three homers in the first two games of this series is especially welcome, since the team has been without its best run-producer Willson Contreras since the first baseman was hit in the helmet in the third inning Friday night.
At a time when the Sox lost an important power bat from the right, Rafaela stepped to the forefront.
“To have him out of the lineup is sad for us,” said Rafaela of the absence of Contreras, “because I think he’s the most important bat for us on the team. He’s been doing a great job for us and carrying us. So, yeah, I feel good to help the team today and hopefully we’ll see him (back in the lineup) tomorrow.”
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