For years, Rafael Devers has been the guy at third base for the Boston Red Sox. The team had blind faith in him, so much so that they gave him a $313.5 million extension. They wanted to cement him as a franchise cornerstone. But one thing about baseball—it is a cruel business. And so when Boston signed Alex Bregman, everything changed.
Devers wasn’t just getting some competition at third — he was simply getting replaced.
Now he is a full-time designated hitter. And let’s just say the transition has been anything but rocky for him. His bat has gone cold, and his timing is just not there. His stats till now tell a very grim story, but what’s even more striking is what’s happening, or rather not happening, behind the scenes.
ESPN’s Buster Olney revealed, “I was surprised to read that Devers had not had a conversation with David Ortiz or J.D. Martinez about a routine that a DH has between at-bats.” To outsiders, this is a true head-scratcher. Ortiz is one of the best-designated hitters in history, and JD Martinez just revitalized his career as a DH. If anyone can help Devers navigate through this change, it’s them. But Devers hasn’t reached out.
Wondering why? Karl Ravech speculates, “I would imagine there is a personal pride, a level of frustration,” Ravech said. “I understand when an organization tells you, ‘You have been our third baseman for years, and we paid you big money to be here,’ and then Bregman falls into their lap… It’s a difficult pill to swallow.” But maybe it’s not just pride, but personal.
Now it’s no secret that Ortiz has been a mentor figure in the clubhouse. But back in the offseason when the entire Alex Bregman and Devers debacle went on, Ortiz made it clear—Devers needed to keep his ego aside and focus on the big picture. “At some point, it’s all about putting the ego aside.” Tough love? Sure, but maybe, just maybe, Devers simply didn’t take it well coming from the fellow Dominican. It could be why he hasn’t picked out the phone. One thing is clear, though: Devers isn’t in the right mindset, and whether it’s frustration or pride, he needs to figure things out quickly. Because his gameplay is a mess!
Rafael Devers’ nightmare start in 2025
For Rafael Devers, it’s a new season, a new role, and a very rough start. The Boston Red Sox slugger isn’t adjusting well as a full-time DH and is going through what most would call a nightmare. Over the last four games, he has gone 0 for 16 with 12 strikeouts, making history that wasn’t wanted. According to StatMuse Baseball, no other player in MLB history has ever struck out as many times in their first four games of a season. Plus, it’s not just the strikeouts; Devers is whiffing on 67.4% of his swings. For a player of his caliber, this is not what is expected.
But the question is—is this turn of events surprising? If you come to think of it, not really. The transition to DH was not his choice; he was against it. Plus, his spring training was delayed because of the turmoil with the Boston Red Sox front office. And this isn’t the first time when a delay in spring training ruined someone’s game year. Now he might be simply caught in a catch-up. Plus, on top of that, in spring training, he had a lingering shoulder issue.
Right now at the pace Rafael Devers is on, he looks to be on track for a whopping 486 strikeouts this year. Of course, this is an unrealistic number, but it sure does paint a grim picture. But despite a messy start, Alex Cora is not panicking. “Not catching up with the fastball. He’s going to keep working. That’s what he’s been doing the whole time, and he’ll be alright,” Cora said. Well, there is no doubt Devers has the talent to catch up. But baseball is as much about confidence as it is about the mechanics. Right now Devers looks out of sync.
The Red Sox are set to open their second series against the Baltimore Orioles. And Devers has a chance to really shake things up and prove why he is worth that seat in Boston. Do you think he can make a momentous comeback? Let us know.
The post Red Sox: Rafael Devers’ “Personal Pride” Blocking Help From David Ortiz, JD Martinez Amid Career-Worst Slump appeared first on EssentiallySports.