Red Sox CF Ceddanne Rafaela named as AL All-Star replacement for injured Aaron Judge

NEW YORK — The Red Sox have a fourth All-Star: center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela.

MLB selected him as the replacement for the Yankees’ Aaron Judge, who has been sidelined for more than a month because of a right rib stress fracture.

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Rafaela learned of his selection Friday morning, when the Red Sox were on the runway in Chicago amid their travel mess trying to get to New York. Interim manager Chad Tracy commandeered the intercom to tell Rafaela at the same time as the rest of the team, coaches, and traveling staff.

“The guys went crazy for him, so very well deserved,” Tracy said. “A bunch of guys are standing there to smack him, give him a big hug, and I think he put his head in his hands for quite a while, maybe some tears. It means a lot to him to be recognized in that way.”

Rafaela (first All-Star nod) joins closer Aroldis Chapman (ninth) and first baseman Willson Contreras (fourth) in heading to Philadelphia for the festivities that begin Monday. Lefthander Ranger Suarez, also chosen, is on the injured list with a strained left groin and will spend that time in Boston.

For the 25-year-old Rafaela, who is in his third full season in the majors and first playing the outfield exclusively, it was a big moment.

“A lot of emotions. I was happy, and then called my family. A couple tears in my eyes,” he said before the Red Sox’ 6-2 win over the Mets, where he went 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored. “I’m really proud of the work that I put in this offseason and then going into the season, making [the ballpark] my happy place.”

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Rafaela entered Friday with career-bests in average (.283), on-base percentage (.330), and slugging rate (.438) — good-but-not-amazing overall. Combined with his Gold Glove defense, though, he has been one of the most valuable players in the majors with his 3.9 Wins Above Replacement, as calculated by Baseball Reference, is tops on the Red Sox.

“We were watching closely because [of] the year he’s put up on both sides of the ball,” Tracy said. “So that was awesome news to deliver to him.”

To replace Suarez, MLB picked the Rays’ Nick Martinez.

Connelly Early’s second opinion — from Dr. Keith Meister, a leading elbow surgeon — was the same as the first: left elbow inflammation, no structural damage.

“We got the news on that,” Tracy said. “It confirmed the diagnosis of the first one that we had with our people.”

Serving the second game of his five-game suspension, Contreras was “moving around better” on his bruised left foot and probably could have played, Tracy said. It shouldn’t impact his participation in the Home Run Derby (Monday) or All-Star Game (Tuesday) … Before Friday’s game, the Red Sox had not decided on a starter Saturday in place of Suarez, per Tracy. He said Brayan Bello remains an option, but it will depend in part on how many relievers the Sox have available. After the game, Tracy still had not decided on his Saturday hurler … Nick Sogard (right oblique strain) is “in play at any point,” Tracy said, but remains on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester.

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