Ceddanne Rafaela was having fun with some PlayStation together with his brother on Monday when the Red Sox prime prospect observed that he had missed “a couple” calls from Triple-A Worcester supervisor Chad Tracy.
When he known as again, Rafaela stated “Trace” determined to have somewhat enjoyable with breaking the information.
“He told me, ‘You didn’t want to play in the big leagues?” Rafaela chuckled. “I was like, ‘Of course!”
Sitting within the house dugout at Fenway Park, the 22-year-old infielder-turned-outfielder didn’t attempt to conceal his feelings, and couldn’t cease smiling.
“It’s everything I always wanted in my life,” he beamed. “It’s the most beautiful day.”
The Red Sox made a flurry of roster strikes on Monday afternoon. They positioned Pablo Reyes on the 10-day injured record with left elbow irritation and recalled infielder David Hamilton from Triple-A on Monday, and outfielder Wilyer Abreu went on the Paternity List, welcoming his first baby lower than per week after his personal Major League debut.
Thus, Rafaela is getting his probability.
He is, by far, the highest-ranked Red Sox prospect to get the decision this season. He broke out final season with dazzling protection, main his Double-A supervisor to go as far as to say that he was a greater defender at that stage of his profession than Mookie Betts had been on the similar stage.
He’s additionally impressed on the plate since his promotion to Triple-A Worcester on the finish of June. Over 48 WooSox video games, he’s hit .312 with a .988 OPS, 62 hits, 13 doubles, 14 house runs, 40 runs scored, and 42 RBI. He additionally confirmed off his velocity within the outfield and on the bottom paths, stealing 36 bases in 108 video games between Double- and Triple-A.
Fresh off a rehab task in Triple-A, Tanner Houck had a front-row seat for the Rafaela present.
“Incredible talent,” the 27-year-old right-hander advised the Herald. “The utility of being able to play infield and outfield, I think, is something that is super-important in today’s game. Being able to play multiple positions, I think it gives you more of a shot to continue to be up here.”
Rafaela confirmed he’s beginning on Tuesday, and Alex Cora stated he may get into Monday’s sequence opener towards the Houston Astros, as effectively, if the suitable circumstances current themselves.
“Amazing, to play my first game at Fenway,” he stated, sounding each awed and in disbelief over his scenario.
“It means a lot,” he added, explaining that he grew up a Red Sox fan. “And my mom, I think this is more exciting for her than for me, because before I (was) born, she was a Red Sox fan. So, it’s a very special moment to make my debut with the Red Sox.”
Curaçao represented
Baseball is usually a lonely existence, particularly for gamers who come from nations that haven’t despatched many gamers to MLB. This season, Red Sox infielder Yu Chang, who’s presently in Triple-A, broke the MLB report for profession video games by a Taiwanese participant. But when he performed for Team Chinese Taipei within the World Baseball Classic in March, the Pool-A MVP opened up about how isolating North American baseball may be.
“No one stands beside me when I’m playing overseas,” Chang advised reporters. “I’m always lonely and have to take in everything by myself.”
Rafaela will solely be the seventeenth participant in MLB historical past from Curaçao, a small Dutch Caribbean island that kinds the ABC Islands with neighboring Aruba and Bonaire. Currently, there are solely 4 energetic Major Leaguers from his homeland.
One of them is Kenley Jansen, who appeared like a really keen one-man welcoming committee earlier than Rafaela arrived on Monday afternoon.
Upon listening to the information of the call-up, he strode by means of the Red Sox clubhouse shouting, “Now we got two!”
“It’s a dream come true,” Jansen advised the Herald. “It makes me feel like me, what? 13, 14 years ago? When I first got called up.”
“You see your dream come to reality,” he continued. “I’ll always remember that second, so I’m positive, what that second appears like for him and his household, and I can’t be prouder for him, the work that he put in.
“I will talk to him when he gets here,” the nearer added. “I follow his track record, and I want nothing but the best for him, to have a great career, and it’s coming up right now. The future is bright for him.”
Jansen is certainly one of 5 Curaçaoan to pitch within the Major Leagues, and the primary to put on the Red Sox uniform, however Rafaela would be the first to debut, hit, and play a place for the franchise.
“It’s crazy to have two players from such a small island, special for us to play on the same team,” Rafaela stated.
Player of the Week
Adam Duvall earned American League Player of the Week honors for the second time this season.
No shock there, because the veteran outfielder collected 5 house runs and 5 doubles, and 12 RBI in simply 31 plate appearances final week.
The National League’s POTW? Mookie Betts.
On the farm
Grant Gambrell shined in his Triple-A Worcester debut on Saturday, tossing 5 ⅔ innings of shutout ball to earn his first WooSox win. He held the Rochester Red Wings to 2 hits, 4 walks, and struck out 5 in his 97-pitch begin. The Washington Nationals’ Triple-A affiliate didn’t get successful off Gambrell till there have been two outs within the fifth.
The 25-year-old right-hander is without doubt one of the prospects acquired from the Kansas City Royals within the Andrew Benintendi commerce. This is his second promotion of the season; he started the minor league season with six begins for High-A Greenville, then superior to Double-A Portland in mid-May and made 15 Sea Dog begins earlier than shifting as much as the highest stage of the farm.
Source: www.bostonherald.com