BOSTON — Ceddanne Rafaela is not in the Red Sox lineup against the Orioles on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old is batting .194 with a .236 on-base percentage, .252 slugging percentage and .489 OPS in 28 games (110 plate appearances) since the All-Star break.
“There’s a lot there right today so I think a mental day will help him,” manager Alex Cora said. “I think mechanics-wise, he’s off.”
Cora said he and hitting coach Pete Fatse spoke Monday about Rafaela’s mechanics.
“So we’ll work on a few things,” Cora said. “Tomorrow’s an off day so hopefully he can get two (full days off) and be ready for Thursday.”
The plan, therefore, is to stay away from Rafaela and not use him late in Tuesday’s game. Boston opens a four-game series in New York against the Yankees on Thursday.
Rafaela’s slump has coincided with him playing second base more often. Cora has said he has “no other choice” but to play Rafaela at second base with Marcelo Mayer (wrist) out for the season.
He’s batting .274 with a .317 on-base percentage, .477 slugging percentage and .794 OPS in his 101 games in center field. He has a .136/.174/.152/.325 line in 19 games at second base.
Last week, Cora said he didn’t think there was a correlation between Rafaela’s offensive slump and him moving around to different positions.
Asked again Tuesday, Cora said, “That’s a hard one. I have no idea. I don’t know. I hope not. But if someone can show me that that’s the reason, you can throw it on my desk and I’ll check on it.”
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