BOSTON -- The collective brilliance of Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu and center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela that allowed the duo to be named American League Gold Glove Award winners on Sunday was crystallized by a dynamic play in Detroit on May 15, the likes of which might not be seen again anytime soon.
As Abreu jumped over the wall in right field in his attempt to rob Kerry Carpenter of a home run, he needed an assist from his friend.
The ball deflected from Abreu’s glove and seamlessly landed in the webbing of Rafaela’s glove.
To borrow an expression from another sport, Abreu looked like he was making an alley-oop pass to Rafaela, who, of course, was in the perfect position to complete the play.
Abreu pointed in amazement in Rafaela’s direction at what he just witnessed. The players exchanged smiles, high fives and a hug as reliever Liam Hendriks raised his arms in triumph.
Rafaela and Abreu became the first Red Sox outfielders to bring home Gold Gloves in tandem since Jackie Bradley Jr. (center field) and Mookie Betts (right field) pulled it off in 2018.
This is the fifth time in club history that Boston has had two Gold Glovers in one season. The others? Dwight Evans and Fred Lynn in 1978 and ‘79, and Reggie Smith and Carl Yastrzemski in ’68.
Abreu is batting 1.000 in his pursuit of Gold Gloves, winning one in each of his first two seasons.
Considering that Abreu was on the 10-day injured list twice and was limited to 115 games, it’s impressive that his body of work was still strong enough to separate him from his competitors.
Per Statcast, Abreu’s eight Outs Above Average led all AL right fielders, as did his seven runs prevented. Arizona’s Corbin Carroll, who played 143 games, was the only right fielder in MLB to outperform Abreu in those two stats. His 15 in Defensive Runs Saved trailed only Adolis García at his position.
While this was Rafaela’s first Gold Glove, he likely would have duplicated Abreu’s feat of going back-to-back if not for the injury to shortstop Trevor Story in 2024. Rafaela started 72 games in center and 71 at short during his rookie season. This year, the wiry Rafaela mainly stayed at his top position, starting 129 games in center and 19 at second base.
WIth 21 Outs Above Average and 19 runs prevented, Rafaela led the AL in both categories at his position. Only Cubs wizard Pete Crow-Armstrong topped him in MLB. Rafaela’s +22 Fielding Run Value was second only to Giants catcher Patrick Bailey (+31).
When the baseball flies to right field, center field or anywhere between for the Red Sox, it is a near certainty the ball won’t hit a patch of grass.
Rafaela took this to an extreme in Arizona on Sept. 6, robbing a homer from someone who could appreciate such greatness.
The 24-year-old tracked Carroll’s fly ball with precision, timed his leap perfectly, used his left foot as a launching pad and swiped the ball before it went over the fence.
“You can’t really think,” Rafaela said. “It happened quickly. I just tried to catch it there.”
Rafaela took it to another level when he made the jaw-dropping snag over the wall in right-center to take a home run away from Carroll for the second out in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Abreu had a rare play to end a game on Sept. 24 in Toronto, fielding what appeared to be a routine single to right by Alejandro Kirk, only to fire a Statcast-projected 93.5 mph bullet to first to retire the slow-footed catcher to secure Boston’s 7-1 win.
“It was a hard line drive, so it got to me quick,” Abreu said. “And I saw [first baseman Nathaniel] Lowe go to the base and just said, ‘OK, I’m going.’ I had a chance.”
When it comes to Rafaela or Abreu, when they have a chance, they will usually complete the play.
Chances are, both players have more Gold Gloves in their future.