Red Sox plan to give outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela every opportunity to make the Opening Day roster

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Will Ceddanne Rafaela win the center field job on the Red Sox 26-man roster?

Thats one of the pressing questions this spring for the Red Sox. Rafaela has a legitimate shot at making the team and by all accounts, the club will give him every opportunity to seize the job.

Rafaela will battle fellow outfielder Jarren Duran for who’ll be the team’s center fielder this coming season. Duran is being worked back slowly to game action following surgery on his left toe at the end of last year.

Both players will see reps, it’s matter of who’ll impress the front office and coaching staff more. Rafaela will see his fair share of reps with Duran out of action until at least the first week of March.

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“We’re going to give him all the chances to get repetitions in center field,” Cora said to reporters on Saturday. “He needs them too, at this level, and just playing him out there as much as possible, with his grey pants most of the time, and it should be fun playing him.”

Cora said that the Rafaela decision weighs heavily as to how the rest of the roster will look like.

“I think as far as position players the decision in center field is going to dictate what we do with the rest of the players,” Cora said.

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During Saturday’s loss to the Orioles to open Grapefruit League action, Rafaela had an opportunity to show off his glove and athleticism in center field.

Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman crushed a deep fly ball to center, Rafaela followed the ball and timed the route but he ran out of real estate hitting the wall, unable to rob the homer.

Rafaela slammed his glove in frustration following the play.

“That’s a ball I catch 99 out of 100 times,” said Rafaela to reporters after the game.

Boston is still going to let Rafaela have as many opportunities in the outfield before making a decision on whether he will make the Opening Day roster. If he doesn’t make the team, he will patrol the outfield at Polar Park.

The 23-year-old really has no interest in playing for the WooSox, he wants to remain in Boston.

“It’s something that has crossed my mind. It makes me work harder, not wanting to go back to Worcester,” said Rafaela. “But at the end of the day, it’s not my decision. I can just do my best.”

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What will keep Rafaela with the big club? His approach at the plate will be the ultimate deciding factor. “He needs to swing at the right ones,” said Cora. “It takes time. The more at-bats, the better it is for him.”

Rafaela went 0-for-3 in the game against the Orioles. With the first spring game under his belt, he can focus on getting his swing under control, making quality contact and putting pressure on Duran in camp.