Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela named AL MVP candidate by ESPN with Yordan Alvarez problem originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Center fielder Ceddane Rafaela has been one of the top players for the Boston Red Sox as they've returned to postseason contention.
Rafaela is one of the top defensive outfielders in baseball and has had a career year at the plate.
Recently, ESPN ranked him as the 27th-best player in the Majors for the 2026 season. Jorge Castillo went as far as to say that he should receive American League MVP consideration.
"As one of the premier defenders in baseball, the floor for Rafaela was always considered high. His offense, always streaky, would determine the ceiling. This season, the ceiling is MVP-caliber-high," Castillo wrote.
Rafaela has 16 defensive runs saved and 14 outs above average in center field. He earned his first All-Star selection thanks to a mix of power and speed that has produced 16 home runs and 16 stolen bases.
MORE: Dodgers prospect Kendall George to undergo knee surgery months after viral bat dog incident
"This isn't just another hot stretch for Rafaela. He has been raking for essentially half of a season. In 78 games since May 5, he's batting .295 with 15 home runs and an .827 OPS. He's 13-for-44 with four home runs in August," Castillo added. "He's an all-around dynamo. If he continues producing at the plate, a top-five MVP finish is very possible."
Even with a historic final few months, Rafaela will not surpass Yordan Alvarez, who could win the first Triple Crown since 2012, in the MVP race.
But as Castillo detailed, a top-five finish is in play for the 25-year-old from Curaçao.
More MLB news:
- Phillies receive slightly worrying 65% playoff odds projection from ESPN
- Red Sox get 8.2% chance to win World Series, which is more than Yankees’ odds
- Dave Dombrowski reveals why Phillies didn't trade for a righty-hitting outfielder
- Brewers ‘toyed’ with idea of trading for Padres closer Mason Miller
- Tigers feared Tarik Skubal’s trade market would disappear if they waited too long to trade him