Red Sox $50 Million Starter On 'Hot Seat' With Roman Anthony Lurking, Says MLB Writer

Everyone is feeling the pressure of keeping their jobs...

Apr 12, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Boston Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela (3) slides into third for his RBI triple as Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas (not pictured) attempts the tag during the fifth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

Any day now, top prospect Roman Anthony could be called up to the Boston Red Sox. For that reason, there are multiple players on the roster feeling the heat.

Anthony, a 20-year-old with the potential to become a superstar, is the current consensus number-one position player prospect in baseball. If and when he gets called up, the Red Sox will have to give him everyday playing time to allow him to adjust to the new level of competition.

But obviously, there are only three outfield spots on the team, and Rafael Devers is now the full-time designated hitter. That essentially means for every game Anthony plays, one of Boston's current starting outfielders will be riding the pine.

Thanks to Wilyer Abreu's red-hot start to the season, Ceddanne Rafaela has been thrust under a microscope. Rafaela already has a $50 million contract extension in hand and could be a Gold Glover in center fielder, but baseball games are won on offense, and he simply hasn't hit so far.

In a recent article, Harrison Bruns of Just Baseball named Rafaela as one of five players on the "hot seat" to keep their starting jobs, thanks to Anthony's presence in Triple-A. He also ranked Rafaela at five out of 10 on the "hot seat meter."

"While the glove is giving him more runway, it could be short-lived," Bruns wrote. "Just Baseball’s No. 1 prospect, Roman Anthony, is waiting in Triple-A for his big league opportunity. Anthony is off to a solid start to the year and could force the Red Sox’s hand soon.

"When Anthony is ultimately called up, Rafaela will likely become the fourth outfielder for the Red Sox."

Rafaela, 24, is slashing .220/.291/.260 thus far in 55 plate appearances. His offense was wildly inconsistent last season, so starting 2025 on a bad note was the last thing he could afford if he wanted to keep his starting job when Anthony arrived.

Nothing is set in stone, but the sooner Anthony gets the call up, the less time Rafaela will have to prove he still needs to be in the lineup.

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