Devers cold at hot corner
Young slugger leading league in errors again
The Red Sox have been patient with Rafael Devers’ defensive struggles at third base, knowing he has the ability to play it well but living with the consequences when he’s mired in poor stretches like he is right now. For one reason or another, it just hasn’t all come together yet.
Devers entered Wednesday night’s game against the Orioles with a leagueleading 13 errors in his 52 games this season — the most of any position in baseball — which has included one in each of his last three games. That’s not unlike his difficulties at the hot corner last season, when he committed nine errors in his 31 games en route to a league-leading 22 errors among third basemen.
But the Red Sox continue to stick Devers at third. They’re willing to live with the 23-year-old’s growing pains that have persisted for years now because when he’s at his best, he’s one of the best hitters in the game.
“I think Raffy is gonna play better,” Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said. “We hope he plays like he did for the last four months last year. He continues to improve. I know he has these lapses where he goes through a game or two games where he’s not fielding well. But I think, because of the errors, you look at him as, he makes a lot of errors and he’s not good. But Raffy’s got the tool set to be a good third baseman. If he can be even an average third baseman defensively, with the way he swings the bat, it’s a huge value for a team.”
The biggest problem, Roenicke concludes, is that Devers gets in his own head when he makes mistakes. Much like he does when he strikes out at the plate, Devers looks visibly frustrated at times when he makes an error. He’s very hard on himself, which isn’t a bad thing, but he’s still learning how to channel the mental part.
“It’s confidence with him,” Roenicke said.
“If he makes an error, he tries so hard to not make another error that he just — he’s athletic — that he doesn’t use that to field the next ball. … It’s not mental focus. He focuses fine. You can see his setup that he’s into every pitch. But once he has that error — and I’ve seen a lot of guys this way — once you have one error, you’re trying not to make another, and that’s the wrong way to think about it. …
“That will come with time. He’s still really young. … The confidence will continue to get better and I know he’s going to work at it to the point where I’m sure he’ll end up being, hopefully he’ll end up being an average third baseman.”
Chavis still learning
It’s been two weeks since Michael Chavis made his debut in left field, where he made his eighth start Wednesday, and the Red Sox have liked the results, even after he made a couple of tough misplays in front of the Green Monster on Tuesday night. Chavis has mostly been solid in left otherwise.
“It’s just him getting used to being in a tough ballpark to play defensively, and then how hard is the ball hitting, is he getting his routes down, but he’s a good athlete,” Roenicke said.
“I think he’ll learn that position OK. Not sure next year what position he’ll be in, whether it’s first, second, outfield, utility man, I’m not sure, so we’ll see.”
Roenicke awaits future
Roenicke, whose contract runs out after this season, said he has not talked to chief baseball officer Chaim
Bloom about his status moving forward. The manager told WEEI last week that he’d like to return as manager in 2021.
“I haven’t talked to him yet about it,” Roenicke said. “I know he’s going to Atlanta. I’m sure we’ll have a conversation somewhere before I leave. Not sure where that will take place.” …
The Red Sox will send out Chris Mazza, Tanner Houck and Nick Pivetta , in order, as their starters for the last three games of the season this weekend against the Braves. … Christian Arroyo returned Wednesday after leaving Sunday’s game with back spasms.