4 Red Sox who will make the 2024 Opening Day roster but won’t last the season

Ceddanne Rafaela

Cora was intentionally vague when discussing Boston's 2024 center fielder before spring training opened. Jarren Duran has been involved in trade discussions and the Red Sox have a prospect waiting in the wings to potentially secure Duran's gig.

The skipper said that rookie Ceddanne Rafaela is in the running for a roster spot in center field. The organization has confidence in his defensive abilities and he's been described as "a game changer" by Cora. And with Masataka Yoshida now spending the majority of his time as the club's designated hitter, the Red Sox have space for another outfielder on the roster.

However, Rafaela's plate production isn't as highly touted as his defense. Rafaela made 28 appearances in the big leagues in 2023 and he batted .241/.281/.386 with 28 strikeouts in 83 at-bats. Naturally, he fared better in Triple-A, logging .312/.370/.618. If Rafaela makes the major league roster to begin the season, there's a decent chance that he'll need a stint in the minors to fine-tune his offense, and he may not finish the season in Boston. It feels ambitious to think he'll produce with the big-league club for the entire campaign.