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Ceddanne Rafaela Scratched from Red Sox Lineup on Sunday
Boston Red Sox outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela (undisclosed) has been scratched from his team's lineup for their Sunday matchup against the Cleveland Guardians, per Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran will shift from left field to center field on Sunday, while Masataka Yoshida will play left field. The exact nature of Rafaela's injury or whether it will require him to hit the injured list is not yet clear. The 25-year-old has been one of Boston's better players so far this season, hitting .275/.340/.430 with five home runs, 23 RBI, 23 runs scored, and six stolen bases across 212 plate appearances. Rafaela battled a minor hamstring injury earlier this month, but was able to return without an IL stint. Should he be facing an extended injury absence, Red Sox outfield prospect Kristian Campbell could be in line for a promotion from Triple-A.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Roman Anthony is Shut Down from Swinging
Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony appears to have suffered a setback during his rehab process. Anthony reportedly felt discomfort while hitting off a tee on Thursday. As a result, Anthony has been shut down from swinging the bat for now. This is the second time that Anthony has suffered a setback while rehabbing his finger injury. The hope was that Anthony would be able to return by early June. This setback might push that timetable back further, but fantasy managers will have to wait and see what the team decides to do. There should be another update on Anthony in the coming days.
Source: Chris Cotillo
Source: Chris Cotillo
Roman Anthony Takes 12-15 Dry Swings, Turning a Corner?
Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (finger) took 12 to 15 dry swings on Tuesday and felt much better, so the team is encouraged that he has turned a corner in his recovery, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Anthony will do the same thing on Wednesday and increase the volume on a daily basis. The 22-year-old remains on the 10-day injured list due to a sprained ligament on the base of his right finger, but now that he is taking swings, he could be on the verge of being cleared to begin a minor-league rehab assignment. In a best-case scenario, though, Anthony probably isn't a realistic candidate to rejoin the major-league roster until mid-June. The former second-round pick and top outfield prospect is quickly developing a reputation for being injury-prone, but his high-end power/speed upside should keep him stashed in all fantasy baseball leagues despite his slow recovery. Before going on the IL, Anthony was hitting just .229 (25-for-109) with a homer, five RBI, 12 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Masataka Yoshida has benefited from extra playing time in Anthony's absence, but it hasn't really translated to fantasy relevance.
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Roman Anthony Dealing With Sprained Ligament in his Finger
Boston Red Sox president Sam Kennedy said on WEEI on Friday that outfielder Roman Anthony (finger) is dealing with a sprain in a ligament on the base of his right ring finger, according to Rob Bradford. The Red Sox placed Anthony on the 10-day injured list with what was previously being called a right-wrist spain, but the injury has now been clarified as a finger sprain. The 22-year-old former top outfield prospect resumed swinging a bat on Monday but felt more soreness, which prompted the Red Sox to shut him down from baseball activities for the time being. It's unclear exactly when Anthony will resume baseball activities or when he might be cleared to come off the IL, but fantasy managers should be ruling out a return before June. Despite his disappointing start to his first full year in the big leagues, Anthony should remain stashed in all fantasy baseball leagues. The left-handed-hitting Masataka Yoshida should continue to benefit from more playing time, but he's hitting just .258 (23-for-89) on the year with no home runs, six RBI, and eight runs scored in his 33 games played. UPDATE: There is no new tear for Anthony, and it simply remains a pain-tolerance issue, according to interim manager Chad Tracy.
Source: WEEI - Rob Bradford
Source: WEEI - Rob Bradford
Ceddanne Rafaela Returns Following Minor Hamstring Injury
Boston Red Sox outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela (hamstring) is back in center field and will bat out of the two-hole for Tuesday's game against the hosting Kansas City Royals and left-hander Bailey Falter, according to MLB.com. Rafaela was not in the starting nine for Monday's series opener against the Royals, but he entered as a defensive replacement, and now he's back in the starting lineup for Game 2 at Kauffman Stadium. Not only is the 25-year-old native of Cuacao one of the best defensive center fielders in the game, but he's also been one of Boston's best producers on offense, entering Tuesday's tilt with a .284/.354/.432 slash line with a .786 OPS, four home runs, 19 RBI, 18 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 45 games and 164 plate appearances. Rafaela has been even better in May, going 17-for-53 (.321) with three of his home runs, two doubles, nine RBI, three steals, and five runs scored in 16 games played. Get him back into your starting lineups in all traditional formats on Tuesday.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Roman Anthony Sore After Swinging on Monday
Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (wrist) is sore after taking some swings on Monday, so he will not swing again until after the off day on Thursday at least, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. It's bad news for the 22-year-old former top outfield prospect as he attempts to return from the 10-day injured list due to a wrist injury. He has been out since early May and currently has no timetable for a return to Boston's starting lineup. Anthony will most likely need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment, too, so he probably is at least another week or two away from rejoining the big-league roster. The former second-rounder in 2022 teased his upside in a 71-game stint with the BoSox last year before ending the season on the IL, and now he's hurt again early in 2026. Despite hitting .229 (25-for-109) in his first 30 games this year with a homer, five RBI, and two steals, Anthony should be stashed in all fantasy baseball leagues for his high-end power/speed upside in Beantown. Until he's ready to return, Masataka Yoshida will continue to see regular at-bats against right-handed pitching. The Japanese native still has zero home runs in 77 at-bats, though, and offers a low fantasy ceiling.
Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
Ceddanne Rafaela Dealing With Hamstring Tightness
Boston Red Sox outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela (hamstring) is dealing with some hamstring tightness, which is why he was not in the team's starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the Kansas City Royals, interim manager Chad Tracy told Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. With Rafaela sitting out, Jarren Duran made the start in center field, with Masataka Yoshida manning left field for the BoSox. It's not a major injury for Rafaela, thankfully, and Tracy expects him to return to the lineup for Game 2 of the series on Tuesday. The 25-year-old has been one of the team's best hitters so far in 2026, batting .284 (42-for-148) with four home runs, 19 RBI, 18 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 44 games across 164 plate appearances. He's been even better in May, going 17-for-53 (.321) with a .390 on-base percentage, .528 slugging percentage, and .918 OPS. Rafaela is tied with the Rangers' Evan Carter for most defensive runs saved among American League center fielders, and he ranks in the 99th percentile in outs above average (six).
Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
Roman Anthony to Begin Swinging the Bat on Monday
Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (wrist) is scheduled to begin swinging the bat by hitting flips on Monday, according to Jen McCaffrey. This is the first time that Anthony has swung the bat since landing on the 10-day Injured List earlier this month. The expectation is that he'll need to face live pitching before he's cleared to return to the Red Sox roster. The team should give a better timetable on his return as he makes progress. The hope is that Anthony can return before the end of May, but fantasy managers should check back later in the week for another update on his status.
Source: Jen McCaffrey
Source: Jen McCaffrey
Roman Anthony has Brace Removed, "in a Good Spot"
Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (wrist) said he's "in a good spot" after getting the brace/splint removed from his injured wrist and playing catch on Friday, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. However, Anthony's return from the 10-day injured list remains to be determined. It's the first time that Anthony has done any baseball activities since the Red Sox put him on the IL last week with a right-wrist sprain. It's good news for the 22-year-old former top prospect, but he could still have a ways to go before he's cleared to resume playing in games, and he'll almost certainly require a minor-league rehab assignment before rejoining the major-league roster. Anthony debuted in 2025 to much fanfare and looked the part of a top prospect, hitting .292 (75-for-257) with eight homers, 32 RBI, and four steals in 71 games before ending his season on the IL with an injury. He's now injured again and had gone 25-for-109 (.229) with a homer and five RBI in 30 contests this year before injuring his wrist. It's been a disappointing start to 2026 for Anthony, but he's a top-tier power/speed prospect and should remain stashed in all fantasy leagues. Masataka Yoshida will continue to benefit from more playing time in Beantown with Anthony out.
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Source: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
Wilyer Abreu has Been a Steady Producer for Fantasy Managers
The Boston Red Sox may be struggling, but outfielder Wilyer Abreu hasn't been the problem so far in 2026. The 26-year-old Venezuelan outfielder is currently slashing .293/.374/.467 with an .841 OPS, six home runs, 18 RBI, 19 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 40 games and 171 plate appearances in his third full season in the big leagues. He has slowed down a bit in 10 games in May, but he hasn't been terrible at the plate, going 9-for-36 (.250) with two long balls, five RBI, four runs scored, and two stolen bases for a struggling Red Sox team that ranks 28th in baseball on offense with a .663 OPS. Abreu is currently in the 73rd percentile in hard-hit rate, the 81st percentile in xwOBA, the 85th percentile in expected slugging percentage, and the 62nd percentile in strikeout rate. He has also had reverse splits so far, hitting .372 (16-for-43) with one of his six home runs against left-handed pitchers. Fantasy managers should expect Abreu's average to come down a little, but his excellent glove will keep him in the lineup every day.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Roman Anthony hasn't Resumed Baseball Activities
The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey reports that Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (wrist) is progressing, but he has not resumed baseball activities. His next test will be to see if he has full grip strength to grip a bat. Anthony isn't anywhere close to coming off the 10-day injured list after suffering a sprained right wrist. Boston will most likely take it very slow with the 21-year-old former top prospect, so there's a chance he won't be ready by the end of May. Masataka Yoshida has benefited from Anthony's injury and continues to see consistent playing time for the BoSox. He's hitting .279 (19-for-68), but it has come with just five RBI and no home runs in 25 games played. Fantasy managers have to be worried that Anthony's 2026 campaign is quickly turning into a lost season, and he's also quickly developing a reputation for being injury-prone after his rookie campaign was also cut short due to injury in 2025. Despite the concerns, the former second-rounder needs to be stashed in all fantasy formats for his high-end power/speed upside.
Source: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
Source: The Athletic - Jen McCaffrey
Is Ceddanne Rafaela's Buy-Low Window Slowly Closing?
After combining for a .248/.284/.402 slash line, .686 OPS, 31 home runs, 138 RBI, 39 stolen bases, and 154 runs scored in 308 regular-season games over the last two years as a full-time player in Beantown, outfielder/second baseman Ceddanne Rafaela has been a disappointment through 38 games in 2026. Going into Tuesday's action this week, the 25-year-old is slashing .269/.336/.400, but with a career-high .736 OPS, three home runs, 16 RBI, 17 runs, and only two stolen bases across 143 plate appearances. Savvy fantasy managers should consider buying low on the Red Sox outfielder, even though he's currently in the 29th percentile in hard-hit rate and the 15th percentile in walk rate. So far in nine games in May, he's gone 10-for-35 (.286) at the plate with two home runs, six RBI, four runs scored, two stolen bases, two walks, and eight strikeouts. Rafaela is probably never going to be an asset in on-base percentage unless he cleans up his plate approach, but as an everyday player, he should offer enough power and speed to potentially threaten for a 20-20 campaign if he stays healthy.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Jarren Duran Shaking Off Slow Start to 2026
Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran's numbers through his first 150 plate appearances of 2026 are well below his career norms, as he's hitting .194/.253/.324 with four home runs, 18 RBI, 19 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. However, the 29-year-old is starting to show signs of a breakout. Across 42 plate appearances in May, Duran is hitting .256/.310/.513 with three homers and three stolen bases. Duran's underlying metrics also provide reason for hope as his .237 batting average on balls in play is nearly 100 points worse than his career mark of .333. While Duran's production so far this season has been tough to stomach for fantasy managers, there's every reason to believe he is working his way back to his usual level of production. He profiles as a prime buy-low candidate across all fantasy formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
