As the All-Star break approaches, you could make an excellent case for Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran or Tanner Houck as the most valuable player of the Red Sox.
You could throw a down-ballot vote to Kutter Crawford, Kenley Jansen or Connor Wong.
Don’t forget Ceddanne Rafaela, a .248 hitter with a .275 on-base percentage who has batted eighth or ninth nearly all season.
It’s true.
Rafaela started his 40th game at shortstop on Thursday night in a 7-0 victory against the Oakland Athletics. He also has started 46 games in center field.
At 23, Rafaela is one of only nine players since 1907 to start at least 40 games at those important defensive positions. Tommy Edman did it for the Cardinals last season for a last-place team. Before that it was Chris Taylor for the Dodgers in 2018.
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Outside of Duran, Rafaela has played the most innings in the field for the Sox this season. Metrics show him to be an above-average center fielder and a below-average shortstop.
But he plays shortstop well enough to allow Duran to play center field with Wilyer Abreu and Tyler O’Neill in the corners. That relieves a playing-time crunch.
Rafaela’s ability to play shortstop also has allowed David Hamilton to settle in at second base, a better fit for him defensively.
“If you ask me what position I play, it’s both. That’s how I feel,” Rafaela said. “It doesn’t matter to me.”
Sox manager Alex Cora believes defensive versatility has been a significant factor in the Sox being 51-41 — specifically Rafaela’s play up the middle.
“The kid is really good,” Cora said. “I’m surprised people are not talking about him in the conversation about rookie of the year because what he’s done throughout the season is amazing.
“Playing an elite defensive center field, playing great defensive shortstop. Offensively, he started slow average-wise, but he’s been consistent in every aspect.”
Cora usually sends his players a late-night text message with the next day’s lineup so there are no surprises when they arrive at the park.
“I usually have a good idea. But I still have to check,” Rafaela said.
Rafaela opened the season in center field, then switched to shortstop a week and a half after Trevor Story suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.
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He shifted back to center field in mid-May, when Hamilton regained Cora’s trust. Since late June, it’s been more shortstop.
Cora has seen improvement in this latest turn.
“He’s feeling very comfortable now at shortstop,” the manager said. “I believe early in the season he was getting away with it because he’s such a good athlete. Bad angles and all that but he was able to make plays.”
That Rafaela has a strong arm has bailed him out of a few footwork issues, too.
His decision-making has improved over the last two weeks and the difficult plays have become less problematic.
“More reps,” Rafaela said. “The more I play shortstop, I get more comfortable.”
Kiké Hernández, Brock Holt, and Damian Jackson are among the Red Sox players over the years who showed the versatility to play both center field and shortstop. But not to the extent Rafaela has.
Which position does he prefer?
“Both,” Rafaela said. “It really doesn’t matter.”
The next step will be to improve offensively. Rafaela’s 51 RBIs are second on the team to Devers, who has 58. Rafaela also has 30 extra-base hits. Only Duran (45) and Devers (42) have more.
But he has 89 strikeouts and only 11 walks, a product of his youth and what has been a free-swinging style going back to the minor leagues.
Rafaela had a .561 OPS on April 30. It climbed to .626 at the end of May and .661 at the end of June. Now it’s up to .698. The league average is .708.
“He’s getting better,” Cora said.
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The hidden value Rafaela offers offensively is that his defensive versatility allows the Sox to better tailor lineups against opposing starters.
It also makes in-game decisions easier as Rafaela can change positions.
“Just help us win,” Rafaela said. “That’s my job. Wherever they want me to play, that’s fine.”
Peter Abraham can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @PeteAbe.