Keep Devers here
Even with Nunez, kid can add pop to lineup
SEATTLE — Four days ago, Rafael Devers convinced his dad to skip the long flight from the Dominican Republic to Seattle. No sense rushing 3,000 miles across the Northern Hemisphere to see Devers’ big league debut yesterday against the Mariners. This weekend’s series in Boston would be just as good.
So it was Devers’ fault his dad missed his first home run.
“I don’t know how, but I can guarantee you that my dad found a way to watch the game,” Devers said after homering to help the Red Sox sink the M’s, 4-0.
There should be ample opportunity to see him play in person beginning tomorrow night at Fenway Park. The Red Sox won’t say what they’re planning to do with their 20-year-old phenom now that they’ve traded with San Francisco for Eduardo Nunez, but Devers brings three things this team sorely needs: third base potential, home run power and must-see excitement.
Bring him up for two days of power, plate discipline and surprisingly sound defense, and then send him packing? No, surely not. Devers needs to stay.
“He hasn’t hurt his cause by any means with what he’s done in a very short look,” manager John Farrell said. “We’ve talked quite a bit recently about the need to get offense, and today is a display of what he’s capable of doing, so he’s taking care of what he can on his end.” The Red Sox are right about Nunez’ ability to energize a lagging offense. He can hit for average, line doubles to the gap and add an element of speed the team’s been lacking. When his helmet comes flying off his head and a big smile spreads across his face, both of which happen all the time, Nunez is an easy player to like. Don’t make him a villain. Don’t make Nunez the guy who shows up tomorrow and stands in the way of everyone’s favorite budding star. That’s not fair to Nunez, not fair to Devers, and not fair to a fan base that wants to believe there’s a shortterm and long-term plan in place.
I still believe what the Red Sox need most on the trade market is a true power threat for the middle of the order. If they were going to add a bat-first player, why not someone like Mets sluggers Jay Bruce or Lucas Duda?
Nunez is not that style of hitter, but he’s a good hitter, and he didn’t cost much, and he should make this team better. The key is to give him at-bats without dumping Devers back into the minor leagues.
It starts with Hanley Ramirez playing a lot more first base, and letting Devers and Nunez basically split third base and designated hitter. When Mitch Moreland keeps playing occasionally against right-handers, either Nunez gets a day off or he steps in at shortstop and second base to give either Xander Bogaerts or Dustin Pedroia a rest.
Both of those guys could use a break, and Nunez makes it easier to do so. Pedroia’s still dealing with an achy knee, and Bogaerts hasn’t looked quite right since he was hit by a pitch in the hand right before the All-Star break.
Let Devers bring the raw power potential, let Nunez add slashand-burn speed that lengthens the lineup, and let them work together to make this lineup better.
Devers walked twice in his big league debut Tuesday, and he made some fine plays at third base. Yesterday he got his first big league hit, and it was a 427-foot monster to dead center field, a tangible lift for an offense that had been stuck in the mud.
His second big league hit was a line drive off the hip of Marc Rzepczynski, a veteran reliever who’s made his living getting left-handed hitters out. Devers hit him hard, registering 103 mph off the bat. That’s what this team needs. The Fenway fans have grown weary of the Sox’ offensive vanishing act. The lineup has made things too hard too often. There’s enough pitching for this team to win if it gets more consistent run support. Devers can help make that happen. He’ll bring muchneeded energy in the process, and it seems the team knows it.
“I think he’s great,” winning pitcher Chris Sale said. “Gets two walks in your major league debut, come back and get a big swing for us. It’s fun to watch. Everybody had their first day, second day in the big leagues. You go back to that time and think about what it was like.
“To see him here and doing what he’s doing, he’s the youngest guy in the big leagues by a pretty good margin. Just the way he handles himself (is impressive). We saw him in spring training, and he’s been tearing it up in the minor leagues, so we have all the confidence in the world in him, honestly.”
Devers dad should watch his son play in person this weekend.
So should the rest of us.