Red Sox’s Ceddanne Rafaela Feels Privileged To Live His Dream

BOSTON — Even though Boston fell to the Houston Astros in the final game of the series, Ceddanne Rafaela got to live out his dream by making his first start for the Red Sox on Wednesday afternoon at Fenway Park.

“It was very, very, very exciting to be on that field to compete,” Rafaela told reporters after the game. “It wasn’t the result we wanted. We’re gonna keep grinding, keep winning ballgames.”

Rafaela made his first Major League Baseball appearance on Monday night in Boston’s loss to Houston when he logged an eighth-inning single for his first hit and remained in the outfield for the ninth.

“It’s been fun. It’s been crazy to be able to live my dream,” Rafaela said. “It’s a privilege that not many baseball players get. So very blessed and very thankful to God.”

The 22-year-old recorded his first major league RBI with a double off the Green Monster, plating Triston Casas in the sixth inning.

“Just trying to do my best,” Rafaela explained. “Saw the pitch right where I was looking, so just do damage. I think it was fun to be able to land it on the Monster, but I’m just happy to help.”

Rafaela said his family was able to fly from Curacao in time for the game on Wednesday and he could feel their support from the stands.

“That gives me a lot of energy,” he said.

In the loss, Rafaela went 1-for-4 from the plate with two strikeouts and got his feet wet on the field with a couple of routine ground balls while playing shortstop.

“It’s not hard, but it’s not easy either to play a lot of center field and then come back (and play shortstop). But the work I put in before the game helped me a lot so I’m pretty much confident I can keep playing short.”

Red Sox manager Alex Cora was impressed with what he saw from the versatile defender over the two games.

“Good. Good athlete,” Cora told reporters after the game. “He took some tough pitches. He faced some good pitching. … Just keep working with him and keep getting him better.”