Devers, Sox sweep up
Young stud continues to stay hot
RED SOX 13 ORIOLES 7
There was a time early this season when Rafael Devers was asking Mitch Moreland for tips on how to approach pitchers as a fellow lefthanded hitter.
Things have changed a bit since then.
“I’m like, ‘Look, you tell me what I need to do,’” Moreland said.
Nowadays, Devers seems to have all the answers.
He has since become one of the league’s best hitters, and at 22 years old, a phenom with a future as bright as anyone. Day by day, his legend seems to continue to grow. Yesterday was no exception.
Devers continued his monster season, going for 4-for-5 with two doubles, a home run and four RBI as the Red Sox came back to earn a 13-7 victory over the Baltimore Orioles, completing a series sweep at Fenway Park.
“He’s unbelievable,” Moreland said. “He hits everything. I know one of his hits today was a ball, but you just watch it. He just barrels everything. I’ve never seen a tear like this watching him do that day in and day out, but he’s been huge for us. He comes up in every big situation and gets the job done. He’s having a special year, for sure.”
After showing promise late last season in the Red Sox’ run to a World Series title, Devers has more than bloomed. He’s emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate, and it seems he’s joining elite company in the record books on almost a daily basis.
It continued on Sunday. He eclipsed 103 runs and 101 RBI, which leads MLB, becoming the first player to hit those markers in the same season before turning 23 since Miguel Cabrera in 2005. The other Red Sox players in history to produce 100 RBI in a season before turning 23? The list only includes Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr and Jim Rice, all Hall-of-Famers.
“It feels good, but overall it’s just good to get a win,” Devers said. “That’s what’s most important for me right now is us continuing to play well and continuing to get wins. We know what’s at stake. That’s really what I’m trying to do is just help contribute as much as I can.”
He’s certainly doing that, too. Though he wasn’t solely responsible for Sunday’s victory, he again came through with huge hits.
Nathan Eovaldi returned to the starting rotation with a lousy day, giving up five runs in two innings as the Red Sox fell behind 6-0, but they chipped away before exploding with a six-run sixth.
The Red Sox benefited from a defensive gaffe from the Orioles to aid their rally when Moreland hit a harmless pop-up to shallow left. But it somehow dropped in between three Orioles and two runs scored to tie the game. Two batters later, Devers crushed his leagueleading 46th double of the season off the Green Monster to give the Sox the lead, and they didn’t look back.
Devers finished off his big day with a two-run homer to right in the seventh, his 27th blast of the season. It almost comes as a shock right now if Devers doesn’t get a hit. He’s hitting .541 with a ridiculous 1.656 OPS with 12 extra-base hits in his last eight games.
“I’m running out of stuff to say about him now,” Moreland said. “It just seems like a bad day for him is 2-for-4 with a double right now. He’s been incredible. This run he’s on right now is fun to watch. …
“He’s doing everything right right now. He barrels everything. It seems like every ball he hits is hard, too. He’s special.”
Red Sox manager Alex Cora recalled a time early this season when there were calls to send Devers to Triple-A to figure things out after he struggled offensively through the first month. That suggestion is simply laughable at this point.
“He keeps working,” Cora said. “He’s not taking anything for granted. Every day he shows up he takes his routine, studies and goes out and performs the way he’s doing. It’s fun to watch.”