Ceddanne Rafaela is doing a little bit of everything for the Boston Red Sox this year. The 23-year old in his first full season with the big league club has played both middle infield positions as well as the outfield. He's fourth on the team in home runs and third in stolen bases. And every once in a while he takes one for the team whether he wants to or not.
That's exactly what happened on Monday night when Texas Rangers pitcher Tyler Mahle hit Rafaela in the face with a 91mph fastball that was way too up and in. The ball literally hit Rafaela on the tip of the nose. If he or the ball had moved a milimeter, he'd probably be headed to the DL with a broken nose. Instead, he took his base and immediately stole second.
Good lord ... dangerous location from Mahle. pic.twitter.com/8FvCiTNCv8
— The Pesky Report (@ThePeskyReport) August 12, 2024
Rafaela would advance to third with two outs but never made it home. Instead, he went out to centerfield and turned a routine fly ball into a highlight, proving that when you're that young anything can be an adventure.
This one I'm with you on, @TJStats lol pic.twitter.com/1zx7GF88D7
— The Pesky Report (@ThePeskyReport) August 13, 2024
Here's a closer look at that HBP that shows just how lucky Rafaela was. As if having his life flash before his eyes wasn't enough to make the night memorable, he ended up scoring the winning run in the bottom of the 10th.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Red Sox Player Hit By a Pitch in the Nose, Stole Second Moments Later.
