Boston Red Sox outfielders crash chasing fly ball, then respond by ending Chris Sale's day.
The Boston Red Sox breathed a big sigh of relief Friday afternoon in their Grapefruit League clash with the Atlanta Braves after a scary collision in the outfield.
In the bottom of the first inning, with the Braves’ Jurickson Profar driving a fly ball to left-center, a frightening moment unfolded as two of Boston’s best players converged.
Left fielder Roman Anthony and center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela - both of whom have been standout defenders and key pieces of the Sox’ plans - collided hard going after the ball. Anthony drifted to his left while Rafaela ran in from center, and the two crashed to the turf in a frightening tumble.
The Red Sox training staff quickly checked on both players, and manager Alex Cora came out to assess the situation.
Thankfully, both Anthony and Rafaela signaled they were OK and remained in the game after the delay.
Anthony, who appeared to take the brunt of the impact and briefly hesitated as he got up, even gave Cora a reassuring fist bump on the way back to the dugout. Rafaela showed some discomfort to his upper leg on the replay but also continued in the ballgame.
That both players staying in the game is a promising sign for Boston, especially with the World Baseball Classic (WBC) looming next week. Anthony and Rafaela - both slated to depart soon to join their respective nations’ rosters - are among several Red Sox who will take part, including additional outfielders Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu.
And in case anyone was actually worried about Anthony or Rafaela, their next at bats can likely put those worries to rest.
Anthony singled off former Red Sox ace Chris Sale. And just a few pitches later, Sale was allowing a two-run homer to Rafaela.
Crisis, seemingly, averted.
On the mound on Friday, right-hander Brayan Bello took the ball for his second spring start. Bello, a Dominican righty (also taking part in the WBC) with an established big-league track record, worked through 1.2 innings in his first outing, striking out two but giving up four hits as he continues to build toward Opening Day.
Across from him was Sale - the veteran lefty who signed an extension through at least 2027 with the Braves, and remains one of baseball’s more accomplished arms after leading the National League in wins, ERA and strikeouts during his debut Atlanta season in 2024 - one that saw him win the NL Cy Young Award. He followed that up in 2025 with another strong year.
The matchup provided an early look at a veteran ace versus a homegrown arm seeking to solidify his place in the Boston rotation. And while the outfield scare grabbed attention, the larger narrative of health, development and preparation for the 2026 campaign continued to unfold under the Florida sun.
Feb 22, 2026; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox designated hitter Roman Anthony (19) is congratulated by infielder Caleb Durbin (17) after he scored during the first inning at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. (Kim Klement Neitzel/Imagn Images)JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.