RADIO
Ceddanne Rafaela Riding the Bench on Sunday
Boston Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Cincinnati Reds. Rafaela had started the first two games of the season, but he'll open Sunday's game on the bench. Masataka Yoshida will make his first start of the year in left field, shifting Roman Anthony to designated hitter and Jarren Duran to center field. Rafaela has been off to an impressive start so far, hitting 3-for-9 with one run, one RBI, and one strikeout. He's also one of the most prominent defenders in baseball, so losing his glove in center field puts the Red Sox at a disadvantage. It makes sense to get Yoshida's left-handed bat in the lineup against Reds righty Rhett Lowder, although Rafaela did have reverse splits in 2025 (.720 OPS against right-handed pitching).
Source: Boston Red Sox
Source: Boston Red Sox
