Positive in negative
Devers’ HRs not lost in ‘L’
There’s a good chance the Red Sox’ 7-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians last night at Fenway Park will be a forgotten one.
Doug Fister isn’t going to get blamed for giving up five runs in 41⁄3 innings, not after he allowed five runs combined over 14 innings in his previous two starts. He’s a No. 5 starter. The AL East leaders can swallow this outing.
The offense left seven men on base while going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. But it’s nothing to panic over, not given the recent surge in production.
There’s just one way this loss can be a thorn in their side, and that relies on the mental fortitude of a 20-year-old rookie.
Rafael Devers homered twice and has gone deep three times in two games. Two of those home runs were game-tying shots. He’s the second Red Sox player in at least 100 years to collect six homers in his first 16 major league games. And now the Sox have to trust that his head doesn’t get too big, nor does his swing.
“The one thing that we’ve seen, he’s a humble young guy,” manager John Farrell said. “There’s genuine confidence there but not boisterous in any way.”
Devers’ first homer off Indians starter Trevor Bauer came on a nice, easy swing on a fastball and it was guided the other way over the Green Monster in the second inning. The path was similar to his game-tying shot off Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning of Sunday night’s win in New York.
The second homer, again off Bauer, was off a low curveball that he pulled over the right field wall in fourth inning to tie the game 3-all. Devers makes it look easy. “It’s not easy at all,” Devers said. “I’m just trying to do my best to learn from the mistakes I make and make those adjustments so the mistakes don’t happen again.”
Andrew Benintendi also homered again last night, and the rookies have combined to hit the last six home runs for the Sox while also driving in 13 of the team’s last 15 runs.
“It’s been Devers and Benny,” Farrell said. “Those two guys of late have supplied the power for us.”
There was so much talk about the Red Sox needing a power bat at the deadline. One that beat them last night was able as a free agent last winter when the search was on to fill the void created by David Ortiz’ retirement. But the Sox passed on Edwin Encarnacion, who Cleveland landed at a bargain contract of three years, $65 million (plus option for a fourth year at $20 million).
With the score tied after Devers’ second shot, Encarnacion hit a two-run home run off Fister in the fifth inning, then added a tworun blast off reliever Heath Hembree in the sixth for No. 26 on the season.
Devers did add power to the lineup upon arrival from the minors. He said it’s natural. He’s not swinging for it.
“I’ve always swung like that,” Devers said. “I don’t try to put anything extra on it, I’m not trying to break the ball or anything like that. I’m just trying to put a good swing on a pitch.”
Good answer. And if things go well, last night’s game was just another loss amidst a long season.
It can be forgotten, as long as the Red Sox offense doesn’t suddenly go dry and Devers doesn’t lose his cool.