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Red Sox Send Tsung-Che Cheng To Tigers In Trade
The Boston Red Sox have traded infielder Tsung-Che Cheng to the Detroit Tigers for cash considerations. Cheng had 39 at-bats for the Red Sox last season with no homers and five RBI while hitting .256 with seven runs scored. Cheng is from Taiwan and played in 94 games with Triple-A Worcester last season, hitting .241 with eight homers and 30 RBI with 52 runs scored.
Source: Boston Red Sox
Source: Boston Red Sox
Caleb Durbin Has Surgery on his Finger
The Boston Red Sox announced that infielder Caleb Durbin (finger) had surgery on his pinkie finger last week, which was a "left fifth finger PIP joint reconstruction," according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Durbin played through his finger injury in 2026 in his first year in Boston and finished with a .248/.332/.378 slash line with a .710 OPS, a career-high 13 home runs, 64 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and 74 runs scored in 153 regular-season games across 586 plate appearances. It was only Durbin's second season in the big leagues after he hit .256/.334/.387 with 11 homers, 53 RBI, 18 stolen bases, and 60 runs scored in 136 games and 506 plate appearances as a rookie in 2025 with the Milwaukee Brewers. Durbin should be fully healthy for the start of the 2027 regular season in his second season in Beantown. Although he only had four round-trippers in the second half, Durbin hit a strong .274 (61-for-223) with 25 RBI and 10 steals in 66 games played. The 26-year-old leaves a lot to be desired in the power department as a third baseman, but his speed at the hot corner is still very enticing as a corner-infield option in fantasy leagues.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Curtis Mead the Favorite to Start at Second Base Next Year
Boston Red Sox infielder Curtis Mead is considered the favorite to open next season as the team's starting second baseman, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. The Red Sox acquired Mead from the Washington Nationals at the trade deadline this summer, but he ended up playing in only one game for Boston due to a fractured wrist that he suffered in his second at-bat with the team. The 25-year-old will now have all offseason to heal up, and he will enter spring training as the team's primary option at the keystone as they attempt to get back to the playoffs in 2027. The Australian native was having a breakout 2026 campaign with the Nationals before being traded to Boston, and he finished the year with a .253/.353/.498 slash line with an .851 OPS, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 49 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 285 at-bats in 88 combined games with Washington and Boston. "That would be, I would say, broadly our plan," said manager Chad Tracy when asked about second base. "He was acquired for a reason. You see the numbers that kind of project at least toward a 30-home run season. And adding that, we were really excited about that."
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Ceddanne Rafaela Activated and Starting on Wednesday
Boston Red Sox outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela (quadriceps) has been activated from the 10-day injured list on Wednesday and is in the starting lineup against the visiting Cleveland Guardians and left-hander Foster Griffin, starting in center field and batting sixth, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Rafaela is back for the tail end of the 2026 regular season after landing on the IL earlier this month with a strained right quad muscle. He did not go on a minor-league rehab assignment before returning, but instead took at-bats off a Trajekt machine. The Red Sox are hoping he will get enough at-bats in through the rest of the week to get him back up to speed for the start of the wild-card series next week against the division-rival New York Yankees. Rafaela is returning to a strong .282/.317/.443 slash line with a .760 OPS, 16 home runs, 70 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 67 runs scored in his 535 at-bats this year. Boston is a much scarier team with their starting center fielder and power/speed threat back in time for the postseason.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Ceddanne Rafaela Set to Return From Injured List on Wednesday
The Boston Red Sox plan to activate second baseman/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela (quadriceps) from the 10-day injured list on Wednesday, manager Chad Tracy told Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Rafaela should be back in the starting lineup for Boston in Game 2 of the series against the Cleveland Guardians. He has been out since Sept. 6 with a strained right quad but did not play in a minor-league rehab game. The 26-year-old continues to contribute across most fantasy baseball categories, but he could be a little rusty upon his return to the big leagues as the Red Sox try to get him going again before the wild-card series against the division-rival New York Yankees begins next week. Rafaela made the All-Star team for the first time in his career in 2026 and will return to a nice .282/.317/.443 slash line, a career-high .760 OPS, 16 home runs, 70 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 67 runs scored across 135 games played. If Rafaela hits a home run by the end of the weekend, he will have a new career high in home runs in his fourth year in the majors.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Chad Tracy Becomes Full-Time Manager, Lands Three-Year Contract
The Boston Red Sox named Chad Tracy as their full-time manager on Tuesday by signing him to a three-year contract with a club option for the 2030 season, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. The Red Sox also announced that they exercised chief baseball officer Craig Breslow's 2029 and 2030 options. Tracy is the 49th manager in Red Sox history after taking over on April 25 when Breslow fired Alex Cora. Boston was 10-17 at that point. With Tracy as the skipper, Boston has gone 74-55 and clinched a spot in the 2026 playoffs on Sunday. Tracy started 32-46 as the team entered play on June 25, but they turned in a 20-3 stretch that vaulted them into wild-card position. That insane stretch included 15 straight wins from July 3 through July 22, which tied for the longest win streak in club history. The Red Sox are currently in possession of the second American League wild-card spot and are likely to face the division-rival New York Yankees in the AL wild-card round for the second straight season at Yankee Stadium.
Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
Ceddanne Rafaela Hitting Off Trajekt Machine
Boston Red Sox second baseman/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela (quadriceps) is with the Triple-A Worcester Woo Sox on Thursday and will hit off a Trajekt machine as he recovers from a strained right quad that landed him on the 10-day injured list, according to Tommy Cassell of TGS Sports. Rafaela has been sidelined for over two weeks, so the Red Sox may want him to play in a few minor-league rehab games before the minor-league season comes to an end soon. It is unclear exactly when Rafaela might return to the BoSox's major-league lineup as they continue to battle for a wild-card playoff spot down the stretch. Despite the 25-year-old's late-season injury, he is still rostered in 84% of Yahoo leagues in the midst of his first All-Star season. When Rafaela returns, he will be coming back to a nice .282/.317/.443 slash line with a .760 OPS, a career-high-tying 16 home runs, 70 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 67 runs scored across his 135 games and 569 plate appearances in 2026.
Source: TGS Sports - Tommy Cassell
Source: TGS Sports - Tommy Cassell
Franklin Arias Continues to Produce at Triple-A
Boston Red Sox infield prospect Franklin Arias has been on a tear at Triple-A Worcester of late, going 20-for-49 (.408) with four doubles, a home run, two steals, and a 5:4 BB:K over his last 11 games there. It has pushed his slash line to .331/.392/.503 with five home runs in 38 games at Triple-A, all while being one of only a handful of 20-year-olds who have performed at that level this season. Boston's top-ranked prospect has moved up all the way to the No. 3 prospect in all of baseball per MLB.com, and is showing that he's not overmatched there with just a 15.1 percent strikeout rate; as hot as he is, there's still a chance for a late-season cameo in the big leagues. Even if that doesn't come to fruition, the 5-foot-11 Venezuelan looks like he'll be in the mix for a starting role on the infield early next year, and with a strong blend of contact and power, he could quickly become fantasy-relevant. He should be stashed away already in dynasty leagues, but redraft managers had better familiarize themselves with the name.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Nick Sogard a Versatile Deep-League Depth Piece to Target
Across 213 plate appearances this season, Boston Red Sox infielder Nick Sogard is hitting .267/.364/.406 with four home runs, 16 RBI, and 26 runs scored. The 29-year-old's power upside is limited, as he's posted just a 4.9% barrel rate and a 29.9% hard-hit rate. However, Sogard has kept his strikeout rate under 20% while also walking in 13.1% of his plate appearances. Sogard also has the ability to line up at every defensive spot in the infield, which helps keep him in the Red Sox lineup on a near-everyday basis. Sogard's lack of power and speed caps his fantasy upside and his utility in shallower leagues. Still, in deeper-league formats, his multi-positional eligibility and balanced plate approach make him a useful depth piece to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ceddanne Rafaela Absent Again on Saturday
Boston Red Sox second baseman/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela (quadriceps) remains out of the starting lineup for the game on Saturday on the road against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards, per MLB.com. Eli White is making another start in center field and will bat eighth against Orioles right-hander Chris Bassitt. This will be the third straight game that Rafaela has missed due to soreness in his quad muscle that is not considered serious. He is considered day-to-day, and hopefully he will return to the starting nine for the series finale in Baltimore on Sunday. Fantasy managers will want to check back then. The 25-year-old native of Curaçao is having a strong season in his fourth year in the majors with Boston, being named to his first All-Star squad while hitting .282/.317/.443 with a .760 OPS, 16 home runs, 70 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 67 runs scored across 135 games and 569 plate appearances. Rafaela needs just one home run, six RBI, and four stolen bases to set career highs in all of those categories in 2026.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ceddanne Rafaela Still Out on Friday
Boston Red Sox second baseman/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela (quadriceps) remains out of the starting lineup for the contest on Friday against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards, per MLB.com. Eli White will make another start in center field for the BoSox and will bat ninth against Orioles right-hander Shane Baz. It will be the second straight game that Rafaela will sit out after he was pulled from Wednesday's tilt against the Seattle Mariners early with tightness in his quad muscle. Rafaela is being considered day-to-day for now, and he could return for Game 3 of a four-game series in Baltimore on Saturday. Fantasy managers will want to check back then. The 25-year-old from Curaçao is on the verge of his first 20-20 campaign in the big leagues this year, as he is currently slashing .282/.317/.443 with a .760 OPS, 16 home runs, 70 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 67 runs scored in his 135 games and 569 plate appearances. Rafaela has been pretty consistent each month of the season and is a must-start in all fantasy formats when active for his contributions across the board in all categories.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ceddanne Rafaela Sitting With Quad Injury
Boston Red Sox second baseman/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela (quadriceps) is out of the team's starting lineup for Thursday's series opener against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles, per MLB.com. Rafaela will sit out at least one game after he was pulled in the seventh inning in Wednesday's contest with tightness in his quad muscle. For now, fantasy managers should consider the young outfielder to be day-to-day and check back on him to see if he is available for Game 2 of the series in Baltimore on Friday. Eli White will make the start in center field for the BoSox and will bat eighth against Orioles right-hander Brandon Young. The 25-year-old Rafaela has been a must-start in fantasy leagues as a first-time All-Star in 2026, as he entered Thursday's tilt with a .282/.317/.443 slash line with a career-best .760 OPS, 16 home runs, 70 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 67 runs scored across 135 games and 569 plate appearances. Rafaela has been just as solid so far in the second half of 2026, hitting .285 (55-for-195) with eight homers, 10 doubles, 31 RBI, 26 runs scored, and five steals in 45 games. Hopefully, he will be back in Boston's lineup on Friday.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Franklin Arias a Late-Season Stash Option With Upside
Boston Red Sox infield prospect Franklin Arias continues to hold his own at Triple-A Worcester, collecting at least one hit in 10 of the last 11 games he's started, going 13-for-45 (.288) over that stretch, including four doubles and a home run while striking out at just a 13.5 percent rate. After hitting .318 with 19 home runs at Double-A, Boston's top prospect is now slashing .290/.350/.467 with four home runs in 28 games at Triple-A, with a low 17.8 percent strikeout rate (76th percentile). The 5-foot-11 Venezuelan has moved all the way up to the No. 3 prospect in all of baseball per MLB.com, and is knocking on the door to the majors with a shot at debuting this season. The right-handed hitter is not on the 40-man roster, which doesn't help his chances, and the return of Trevor Story and Isiah Kiner-Falefa in the last couple of days has made the infield even more crowded, but whether it is this season or next, redraft managers should be familiar with the name. Proactive managers could consider Arias a speculative stash in hopes of a 2026 debut, with plenty of skills to be fantasy-relevant if called up.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Nick Sogard Emerging as a Deep-League Target Amidst August Hot Streak
Across 160 plate appearances in 2026, Boston Red Sox infielder Nick Sogard is hitting .275/.389/.405 with two home runs, 10 RBI, and 20 runs scored. The 28-year-old has spent much of the season in the minors, logging 224 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A. However, Sogard appears to have taken over a near-everyday role as Boston's leadoff hitter in recent weeks. Sogard's carrying tool is his ability to get on base, as he's posted a 15.6% walk rate in the big leagues and logged a 19.3% walk rate during his time at Triple-A. While Sogard is unlikely to provide much power production for fantasy managers, he profiles as an asset in both batting average and runs scored, as long as he continues to set the table for Boston's potent lineup. In deeper leagues, Sogard has value on the waiver wire as a versatile depth piece.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Andruw Monasterio a Useful Deep-League Depth Piece to Target
Across 286 plate appearances this season, Boston Red Sox infielder Andruw Monasterio is hitting .261/.319/.424 with six home runs, 37 RBI, 31 runs scored, and four stolen bases. The 29-year-old has been hot since the start of July, hitting .305 with three homers, 25 RBI, 16 runs scored, and three stolen bases across his last 149 trips to the plate. Monasterio has seen an extended stretch of regular playing time as Boston's everyday shortstop, which will likely come to an end with the impending return of Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (abdomen) from the 60-day injured list. However, Monasterio's ability to play every infield position should allow him to still earn fantasy-relevant playing time. Monasterio's profile at the plate may not jump off the page in any one area, but he brings balanced, high-floor production and multi-positional eligibility. In deep leagues, he profiles as a valuable depth piece for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
