The Boston Red Sox have one of the best defensive outfields in baseball, and they showed off their hands team Wednesday night. Right fielder Wilyer Abreu and center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela combined to take a home run away from Detroit Tigers slugger Kerry Carpenter in the seventh inning at Comerica Park (GameTracker).
Here’s the play. It’s the baseball equivalent of a tip drill:
The Tigers had the play reviewed just to make sure the ball didn’t go over the wall and bounce back into the field of play. It did go over the wall, for sure, but it deflected off Abreu’s glove and went right to Rafaela. That’s your garden variety 9-8 putout. You don’t see too many of those each year.
Boston entered play Wednesday ranked fourth among all teams with plus-10 defensive runs saved from their outfield. It’s not because of circus catches like that. They just have a damn good outfield with Abreu, Rafaela, and Jarren Duran. Three speedy outfielders with great instincts who can go get the ball.
The Red Sox went into Wednesday’s game against the Tigers and reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal with a 22-22 record.
