The Boston Red Sox got a much-needed jolt from Ceddanne Rafaela, who launched a two-run walk-off homer off Angels reliever Brock Burke. What makes this one special? It traveled just 308 feet – making it the third shortest home run since Statcast started tracking in 2015.
Only two players have hit shorter homers in the Statcast era: Lorenzo Cain in 2017 and Stephen Vogt in 2019. Both of those also cleared the Pesky Pole at Fenway.
But here’s what really matters – Rafaela’s blast was the shortest walk-off homer since tracking began. The Red Sox needed every inch of those 308 feet.
Timing couldn’t be better
The Red Sox are struggling. They’re 3-7 in their last 10 games and sitting at 30-34 overall. Injuries to Triston Casas and Alex Bregman have left them scrambling, and fans are calling for top prospect Roman Anthony to get the call.
That’s where Rafaela comes in. He’s been on fire lately, slashing .295/.321/.505 over his last 30 games with four homers in his last seven contests.
Sure, he went just 1-for-5 against the Angels, but that one hit was all that mattered. He got every bit of that short left field fence – the kind of swing that can turn a season around.
Fenway’s friendly confines
The numbers tell the story of Fenway’s unique dimensions. Nine of the 10 shortest over-the-wall homers in the Statcast era have happened at Fenway Park. The lone exception? Buster Posey at Truist Park in 2022.
What makes this different is the timing. The Red Sox are fighting to stay relevant, and Rafaela’s hot streak couldn’t come at a better time. Sometimes 308 feet is exactly what a team needs to get back on track.
