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Alex Cora Compares Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela Collision To The Dark Knight originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Red Sox experienced a scary moment during Friday's spring training game when Roman Anthony and Ceddanne Rafaela collided in the outfield in the bottom of the first inning.
Both players stayed down on the field initially, with Rafaela grabbing his leg, and Anthony clutching both his leg and arm. Red Sox fans everywhere held their breath as both guys were attended to.
Luckily, it turns out Boston caught a lucky break, as neither Rafaela nor Anthony appear to have suffered any significant injuries from the collision.
Following the game, Red Sox manager Alex Cora joked about unfortunate event.
As Cora described the complicated decision he was faced with about which player to check on first, he brought up the scene in The Dark Knight in which Batman must choose between Harvey Dent and Rachel Dawes.
An all-timer of an exchange at the end of Alex Cora's postgame scrum, where he compares rushing out to check on Roman Anthony and Ceddanne Rafaela to a scene from The Dark Knight. pic.twitter.com/xgBwoSewWV
— Mac Cerullo (@MacCerullo) February 27, 2026
Cora is obviously relieved that two of his rising stars are A-okay.
Both Anthony and Rafaela are poised for big seasons after continuing their development in 2025.
Anthony debuted on June 9 last year and delivered a strong rookie campaign in 71 games before a left oblique strain sidelined him on September 2. He batted .292 with a .396 on-base percentage and .463 slugging, tallying eight home runs, 32 RBIs, and 48 runs scored while stealing four bases. His 3.1 WAR reflected his impact, earning him third place in American League Rookie of the Year voting.
Rafaela, in his second full season, appeared in 156 games and excelled defensively, securing his first Gold Glove Award.
Offensively, he hit .249 with 16 homers, 63 RBIs, 84 runs, and 20 stolen bases, posting a 4.7 WAR. His clutch performances included a walk-off homer against the Rays and a triple on September 26 that clinched Boston's postseason berth. Despite some inconsistency at the plate, Rafaela's speed and power continued to add dynamism to the lineup.
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