The Boston Red Sox enter the second half of the 2024 MLB season with a chance to make a surprising postseason push. A pair of exciting rookies have played key roles in their success.
Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu represent the beginning of the youth movement in Boston. Both are in the American League Rookie of the Year mix with Rafaela boasting the third-best odds to win the award (+950) and Abreu tying Oakland closer Mason Miller for the fifth-best odds (+1200), per Fanatics Sportsbook.
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Rafaela worked his way into the top three with a torrid couple of weeks heading into the All-Star break. Through 12 games in July, the 23-year-old has posted an .885 OPS with three doubles, two triples, three homers, and 11 RBI.
His recent surge convinced fans to vote for him as the midseason AL Rookie of the Year in an MLB on FOX poll:
Rafaela's impact has been felt in all facets of the game. He leads all MLB rookies in RBI (52), ranks second among rookies in homers (11) and triples (four), third in hits (81) and runs scored (45), and fourth in doubles (16) and stolen bases (11).
The Curacao native has been an elite center fielder with eight defensive runs saved in 57 games. He has also been a reliable fill-in at shortstop for the injured Trevor Story.
The cases against Rafaela for Rookie of the Year are his lofty strikeout total (94 in 93 games) and unimpressive fWAR (0.4). His whiff rate (33.1 percent) puts him in the sixth percentile among big leaguers and has been an issue throughout his pro baseball career.
That said, there's no reason to believe Rafaela can't continue his improvement and development into a Red Sox star. He has been a revelation since his slow start to the campaign and if he picks up where he left off as a threat at the plate, burner on the basepaths, and Gold Glove candidate in the field, he should be an American League Rookie of the Year finalist in a relatively weak 2024 class. Abreu could work his way into the top three as well.
Rafaela and the Red Sox will return to action Friday as they begin a three-game series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. First pitch at Dodger Stadium is set for 10:10 p.m. ET.
