Red Sox OF Ceddanne Rafaela predicted to win MLB award despite IL news originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Red Sox have bounced back from a bad start and look likely to make the MLB postseason. With a strong pitching staff in the rotation and bullpen, plus a resurgent offense, this team can go very far.
But it's not just those phases of the game where the Red Sox have thrived. Boston has also gotten plenty of great value from their defense. More specifically, from a few select defenders, one of which being center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela.
Unfortunately, he recently hit the injured list for the Red Sox and will miss some time. However, that shouldn't stop him from winning an MLB award. As MLB.com's Jared Greenspan, Brian Murphy, and Jason Foster predict, Rafaela should be the AL's Gold Glove-winning center fielder.
"When healthy, there's no one better at that spot in the junior circuit. Rafaela, a first-time Gold Glove Award winner last season, has made the most five-star catches of any player in the Majors (nine)," the MLB.com trio write.

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