Red Sox Could Cut Ties With $50M Outfielder in Blockbuster Trade With Mets
The Boston Red Sox could be forced to make a trade soon. They have Jarren Duran, Rob Refsnyder, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Masataka Yoshida and Kristian Campbell as capable outfielders.
Campbell has made three starts in the outfield but is the team’s primary second baseman. Yoshida is currently on the injured list, but his normal designated hitter spot now belongs to Rafael Devers. Abreu, Duran and Rafaela figure to be the preferred outfield group, but Roman Anthony is coming soon.
Sports Illustrated’s Colin Keane proposed the idea of moving Rafaela to the New York Mets to create space for Anthony.

“The buzz around Boston is that Anthony should be promoted within weeks, not months, which places Rafaela in an unfortunate situation,” wrote Keane. “Could the Red Sox keep Rafaela and have Alex Cora plug-and-play him somewhere other than the outfield, perhaps as a utility guy who doesn’t play every day? Sure, but keep in mind that Boston also has a logjam in the infield with Anthony’s fellow stud prospect Marcelo Mayer also overdue for a promotion.”
Rafaela signed an eight-year, $50 million extension last year, and that is a lot of money for him to be a utility or bench player. Meanwhile, the Mets could be willing to part ways with valuable prospects to move on from Tyrone Taylor and Jose Siri sharing an outfield spot.
“If Rafaela goes to the trade block — which seems like a likely scenario — the Mets could benefit, but there will be other suitors in the National League for Rafaela, including possibly the Philadelphia Phillies,” wrote Keane.
Rafaela might not be the only Red Sox player who gets moved. Yoshida is not a good enough defender to take a spot from Duran or Abreu, and the team is not going to take the designated hitter role away from Devers.