Rafaela has struggled at the plate for about a month, a steep falloff coinciding with when he started bouncing between second base and center field.

There has to be a lot going through Ceddanne Rafaela's mind these days. The Boston Red Sox's second-year man had a surge late in the first half of the season, making him a legitimate All-Star snub. But since returning from the All-Star break,

As the Red Sox return home Friday after a tough week-long road trip, Ceddanne Rafaela will be in his natural position and Masataka Yoshida isn’t in the lineup.