Boston Red Sox outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela has been one of the best players in baseball over the past month.
Since the beginning of June, Rafaela has accumulated the fifth-most fWAR in baseball. Three of the four players ahead of him are All-Stars: Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh and Bobby Witt Jr. The fourth is Juan Soto, who was left off the All-Star roster.
In that span, Rafaela is hitting .303 with nine home runs. He’s in the middle of a seven-game hitting streak during which he’s driven in 10 runs.
In Thursday’s 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, Rafaela singled in the tying and go-ahead runs in the seventh inning. After the game, he talked about what’s made him so successful.
“That’s what the good hitters do, don’t miss pitches,” Rafaela said. “That’s what I’m trying to do, be precise to the ball and not try to do too much.”
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Rafaela has shown better plate discipline this season as well. While he still swings at a very high rate, his bat-to-ball skills and swing decisions have improved. His chase rate is down about four percent, and his contact rate against pitches in the zone is up about five percent.
While individual stats are great, Rafaela is focused on the big picture.
“I want to win,” Rafaela said. “I want to play in October here in Fenway.”
Development isn’t linear. It’s easy to forget that Rafaela is just 24 years old and in his second full season in the big leagues. If he continues to play at this level and display his charisma, he’ll quickly become a star in Boston.
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