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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 20, 2024 5:35:27 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Monday, May 20, 2024 at 6:50pm EDT Written by Mark Ruelle
The struggling Boston Red Sox limp into Tampa Bay on Monday night to take on the Rays at the start of a three-game series. The Red Sox lost three of four to the Rays last week at Fenway and have slipped behind them in the AL East Standings. The pitching matchup on Monday will be Red Sox righty Tanner Houck (3-5, 2.17) vs. Rays' righty Taj Bradley (1-1, 2.45). The first pitch is scheduled for 6:50 PM EST. The struggling Boston Red Sox limp into Tampa Bay on Monday night to take on the Rays at the start of a three-game series. The Red Sox lost three of four to the Rays last week at Fenway and have slipped behind them in the AL East Standings. The pitching matchup on Monday will be Red Sox righty Tanner Houck (3-5, 2.17) vs. Rays' righty Taj Bradley (1-1, 2.45). The first pitch is scheduled for 6:50 PM EST.
Slumping Sox The Red Sox are now showing the cracks of several key injuries and a roster that wasn't brimming with star power this season. The Sox have battled injuries to their rotation and the loss of SS Trevor Story for the season and came into Sunday's series finale in St. Louis losers of seven of their last ten games. On Sunday, trying to avoid a series sweep, the Red Sox trounced the Cardinals 11-3. The story of the game was Red Sox All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers who hit a home run for the fifth straight game to tie a team record. Starter Nick Pivetta went six innings and allowed just one hit and one run to pick up the win.
The Red Sox will hand the ball to their best pitcher thus far in 2024, righty Tanner Houck, in game one of this series. Houck is 3-5 on the season with an ERA of 2.17. He has allowed 48 hits in 58 innings pitched this season and has yet to allow a home run. Houck has seven quality starts already this season and has walked just 11 batters while striking out 57. Houck is 2-2 on the road this season in four starts with an ERA of 1.88 while allowing 18 hits in 24 innings pitched. The Sox are just 1-4 in his last five starts including a loss to this Tampa Bay team in Boston last week.
Key Injuries: SS Trevor Story, LF/DH Masataka Yoshida, SP Garrett Whitlock, and 1B Triston Casas are out.
Rays Heating Up The Tampa Bay Rays have always seemed to find a way to reinvent themselves after losing key pieces each offseason and work their way back into the AL playoff picture. Early this season it appeared the magic was gone as the Rays fell to the bottom of the AL East Division. Once again, however, the Rays have battled back and are slowly climbing up the ladder in the AL East after winning six of their last ten games, including three of four vs. the Red Sox, heading into their series finale with the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. In the finale, the Rays were dropped 5-2 by the Blue Jays to end their four-game winning streak. Starter Aaron Civale allowed six hits and five runs in 5.1 innings to take the loss.
The Rays will hand the ball to second-year righty Taj Bradley in game one of the series vs. the Red Sox. Bradley recently retuned to the rotation after beginning the season on the IL. He is 1-1 in two starts this season with an ERA of 2.45. Bradley has allowed eight hits in 11 innings pitched including one home run. Bradley has walked three batters and struck out 13 thus far. His win came at the hands of the Red Sox at Fenway last week. Bradley had a 5.79 ERA at home last season.
Key Injuries: 2B Brandon Lowe, SP Ryan Pepiot, RP Chris Devenski, and RP Colin Poche are out.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 20, 2024 5:39:33 GMT -5
Back to the Trop and the start up time for all games of this series is 6:50pm eastern for some reason for the rest of the series we have
Tuesday, Criswell 2-1/ 2.76 vs Litell 2-2/ 3.44
Wednesday, 4-1/ 3.33 vs Pepist 3-2/ 3.68
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 20, 2024 7:08:43 GMT -5
Rays look to maintain upper hand vs. Red Sox in series opener FLM
The Tampa Bay Rays will play an 11th straight game against an American League East foe on Monday evening when they open a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The Rays are a combined 6-4 against the New York Yankees, Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays in the 10-game stretch. They took three of four last week from the Red Sox and have had the upper hand over the past five-plus seasons against Boston.
Manager Kevin Cash's squad sports a 57-31 mark against the Red Sox since 2019, although Boston claimed the most important triumphs when it won three of four games in the 2021 AL Division Series.
Last week in their first matchups between the teams in 2024, Tampa Bay overcame an awful gaffe before posting a series win.
With two outs and Jason Adam trying to close a series-clinching win, the reliever yielded a walk to Rob Refsnyder and a single to Rafael Devers, prompting a mound visit from Rays pitching coach Kyle Snyder.
However, the Rays were out of visits -- a fact noted on the Fenway Park scoreboard -- and Adam was removed for swingman Erasmo Ramirez, who prevented further embarrassment by getting a game-ending comebacker.
"Hundred percent on me. I let the mound visits slip in my mind," Cash said. "I screwed up, and I'm glad that it didn't cost us a ballgame."
With left-handed reliever Colin Poche (back) on the injured list, the Rays made a trade Saturday for southpaw Richard Lovelady. He specializes in retiring left-handed hitters, with a .235 career average against him.
Garrett Cleavinger currently is the only bullpen option from that side.
Tampa Bay's seven-game road trip ended on a sour note as the Blue Jays topped the Rays 5-2 on Sunday.
Isaac Paredes homered with two outs in the ninth to keep the Rays from being blanked for the second time this season as Tampa Bay lost for the first time in the past five games.
"Awesome, we're rolling," said catcher Ben Rortvedt, who had one of his team's four hits. "We didn't end the road trip the way we should have, but we feel good."
Boston snapped a four-game losing streak Sunday by way of six excellent innings of one-hit, one-run ball from starter Nick Pivetta and homers from Tyler O'Neill and Devers in an 11-3 win at the St. Louis Cardinals.
O'Neill, a former Cardinals player, rocked a 439-foot shot in the first inning. Devers stepped up in the sixth, tying Bobby Dalbec's franchise record with a homer in his fifth straight game.
"Pretty special weekend for me and my family," O'Neill told The Roku Channel. "Circled this one on the calendar for a long time coming."
Monday's meeting will be a rematch between Tanner Houck and Taj Bradley, who squared off Wednesday in the Rays' 4-3 victory.
Houck (3.15, 2.17 ERA) allowed three runs, only one earned, and five hits in 5 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts en route to dropping his fourth straight decision.
Across 58 innings, the right-hander has allowed 14 earned runs and 48 hits. He has surrendered one home run, and his 1.02 WHIP and .219 batting average against are elite.
In six career appearances (four starts) against the Rays, Houck is 0-4 with a 5.91 ERA.
Bradley (1-1, 2.45 ERA) won Wednesday's game with five innings of two-run ball on four hits with six strikeouts.
The right-hander is 3-0 with a 4.20 ERA in three career starts against the Red Sox.
- Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 20, 2024 10:16:21 GMT -5
Game 48: Red Sox at Rays lineups and notesBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated May 20, 2024, 1 hour ago The Red Sox will look to keep the offense going when they open a three-game series at Tampa Bay Monday. The bats had been quiet of late before coming alive in Sunday’s 11-3 win at St. Louis, with the Sox recording five hits with runners in scoring position. They were 13 of 96 in their previous 11 games. With the victory, the Sox avoided a sweep and snapped a four-game losing streak. The three-game series with the Rays will mean the teams will have played seven times in 10 days, with Tampa Bay taking three of four at Fenway Park last week. The pitching matchup is a rematch between Tanner Houck and Taj Bradley from last Wednesday’s game, in which the Rays prevailed 4-3. Houck allowed three runs, one earned, and five hits in 5⅔ innings with seven strikeouts in the loss. Bradley allowed two runs on four hits while striking out six in five innings to get the win. Here is a preview. Lineups RED SOX (23-24): Jarren Duran (L) CF Wilyer Abreu (L) RF Tyler O'Neill (R) LF Rafael Devers (L) 3B Connor Wong (R) DH Dominic Smith (L) 1B David Hamilton (L) 2B Reese McGuire (L) C Ceddanne Rafaela (R) SS Pitching: RHP Tanner Houck (3-5, 2.17 ERA) RAYS (25-23): Yandy Díaz (R) 1B Josh Lowe (L) RF Isaac Paredes (R) 3B Brandon Lowe (L) 2B Jonathan Aranda (L) DH Jonny DeLuca (R) CF Richie Palacios (L) LF José Caballero (R) SS Ben Rortvedt (L) C Pitching: RHP Taj Bradley (1-1, 2.45 ERA) Time: 6:50 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Red Sox vs. Bradley: Wilyer Abreu 1-3, Garrett Cooper 0-2, Rafael Devers 0-7, Jarren Duran 2-5, David Hamilton 1-2, Reese McGuire 1-2, Tyler O’Neill 0-2, Ceddanne Rafaela 0-1, Dominic Smith 0-2, Connor Wong 1-1 Rays vs. Houck: Jonathan Aranda 2-4, Randy Arozarena 0-7, José Caballero 1-3, Yandy Díaz 2-7, Josh Lowe 4-6, Richie Palacios 1-3, Isaac Paredes 1-7, Harold Ramírez 1-4, Ben Rortvedt 0-2, Amed Rosario 1-7, Jose Siri 1-2 Stat of the day: Rafael Devers has homered in five straight games, the seventh five-game homer run in Red Sox history. Notes: In six career appearances (four starts) against the Rays, Houck is 0-4 with a 5.91 ERA. He has allowed 14 earned runs and 48 hits in 58 innings, along with a 1.02 WHIP. In six career appearances (four starts) against the Rays, Houck is 0-4 with a 5.91 ERA. … The Sox are 13-11 on the road. They started the year 10-3 away from home, but are 3-8 in their last 10. … Bradley is 3-0 with a 4.20 ERA in three career starts against the Red Sox. … The Rays are playing an 11th straight game against an AL East foe, having gone 6-4 against the Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays in the 10-game stretch. They had their four-game winning streak snapped when they dropped Sunday’s series finale at Toronto, 5-2. Song of the Day: The Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHHAbze03Z4
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Post by Kimmi on May 20, 2024 14:49:43 GMT -5
We are catching the Rays at a time when they've gotten hot. Not that it probably matters much. We have become to the Rays what the Twins are to the Yankees - a doormat.
Time to change that Red Sox. How about winning Game 1 and taking a series? Thank you in advance.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 20, 2024 18:56:48 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe Sox break up a perfect game with 8 strikeouts with a triple and a double off Taj Bradey.
Rafael Devers with an artistic bat flip as he homers for the 6th consecutive game. 3-0 Sox.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 20, 2024 18:57:39 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe Devers is the first player to homer in six consecutive games since Mike Trout in Sept. 2022. 8:45 PM · May 20, 2024 · 2,689 Views
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 20, 2024 19:02:46 GMT -5
Rafaela with a 2 run shot and it is 5-0 in the Trop
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 20, 2024 19:26:10 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier I realize there's a times through the order penalty, but this has to be some kind of record extreme: Red Sox 1st time through the order vs Bradley: 0-for-9, 8 Ks 2nd time: 5-for-9, 2 homers, 4 XBH, 5 runs, 1 K. 8:57 PM · May 20, 2024 · 4,968 Views
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 5:12:50 GMT -5
Rafael Devers sets team record by homering in 6th straight game as Red Sox top Rays 5-0 AP
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) Rafael Devers set a team record by homering in his sixth consecutive game, Tanner Houck allowed two hits over seven innings, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-0 on Monday night.
Devers had shared the Boston mark of a five-game homer streak with six others, including Hall of Famers Ted Williams and Jimmie Foxx.
The last big leaguer with a streak this long was Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels, who had a seven-game run from Sept. 4-12, 2022.
“’I'm very proud to be in that conversation with him,” Devers said through an interpreter. “Obviously we know the type of superstar that he is. He's a future Hall of Famer and superstar, and to be able to be in the same level with him is very nice.”
Houck (4-5) allowed a third-inning single to Yandy Díaz and an infield hit to Josh Lowe in the seventh. He struck out five and was charged with one walk - which occurred when Devers was ruled to have violated defensive shift rules for an automatic ball on Jonathan Aranda's groundout in the second on a 3-2 pitch.
Houck stopped a personal four-game skid that included a loss to the Rays on May 15th in which he gave up three runs, five hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings.
“I talked about last outing ... too many free passes.” Houck said. “That was the focus in between outings, just getting back in the zone and filling it up with with all my pitches, and just trusting the stuff. I felt like I accomplished that pretty well tonight.”
Ceddanne Rafaela also homered for the Red Sox, who returned to .500 at 24-24.
“It was fun,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “It was a good, well-played baseball game.”
Justin Slaten completed a three-hitter as Boston improved to 6-22 at Tampa Bay since the start of the 2021 season.
Rays starter Taj Bradley (1-2) struck out eight of his first nine batters before Jarren Duran opened the fourth with a triple and scored on a double by Wilyer Abreu. Devers put Boston up 3-0 as he extended his hitting streak to 10 games with his 10th homer, an opposite-field two-run drive to left.
“They made an adjustment,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “I thought Taj's stuff was really electric. He came out throwing bullets everywhere.”
Rafaela was hitless in 17 at-bats before his fifth-inning two-run drive against Bradley made it 5-0.
Bradley gave up five runs, six hits and struck out 10 in a career-high seven innings. It was the right-hander's third start this year after he began the season sidelined by a right pectoral strain.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: Cora said RHP Garrett Whitlock has damage to a ligament in his throwing elbow and there is a possibility he will need surgery. Whitlock, 1-0 with a 1.96 ERA in four starts this season, will undergo further examinations and tests.
Rays: Opening-day starter Zach Eflin went on the 15-day injured list with lower back inflammation and is expected to miss two to four weeks. ... 2B Brandon Lowe (right oblique strain) returned after missing 37 games and went 0 for 3.
UP NEXT
Boston RHP Cooper Criswell (2-1, 2.76 ERA) and Rays RHP Zack Littell (2-2, 3.44 ERA) are Tuesday night’s starters.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 5:23:46 GMT -5
Devers sets Red Sox record with HRs in 6 straight games May 20th, 2024 Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
0:20
0:29
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Fenway Park. Busch Stadium. Tropicana Field. For Rafael Devers, the venue doesn’t matter these days. Put a bat in his hand and he’s going to go deep.
On Monday night at Tropicana Field, Devers set a team record by hitting a home run in his sixth consecutive game while helping his Red Sox to a 5-0 victory over the Rays in the opener of a three-game series.
Devers is the first Major Leaguer to homer in as many as six straight games since Mike Trout hit taters in seven consecutive games from Sept. 4-12, 2022. Joey Votto had a seven-game streak from July 24-30, 2021. Paul Goldschmidt cleared the fences in six straight games from July 22-27, 2019.
“Of course, I'm very proud to be in that conversation with [Trout] and in that position,” Devers said. “Obviously, we know the type of superstar he is. He’s a future Hall of Famer and a superstar. To be on the same level with him is very nice.”
If Devers can homer in his next two games, he would tie the all-time record held by the following three players: Ken Griffey Jr. (1993 Mariners), Don Mattingly (‘87 Yankees) and Dale Long (‘56 Pirates). On Tuesday, he’ll face Rays starter Zack Littell, against whom Devers homered on Thursday in the second game of this streak.
“He's a freak,” winning pitcher Tanner Houck said of Devers. “I mean, that guy can hit any pitch at any time and to see what he's done, he’s just an incredible player.”
The latest chapter in the third baseman’s power surge came on a night Houck turned in another strong start for the Red Sox. The righty allowed two hits over seven scoreless frames, walking one and striking out five.
After homering in the final two games of a four-game series against the Rays last week at Fenway and in all three games at Busch Stadium against the Cardinals over the weekend, Devers bashed a two-run shot to left in the top of the fourth against fireballing Rays righty Taj Bradley to keep the streak going.
Devers punctuated the shot with a bat flip and a staredown of the baseball as it took flight. He punched his chest as he started to round the bases. And his teammates got loud when he returned to the dugout.
“When I got to the dugout and I saw my teammates it was a special moment for sure,” Devers said. Get the latest from the Red Sox
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His 10th homer of the season left his bat at an exit velocity of 104.5 mph and traveled a Statcast-projected distance of 382 feet. It would have been a home run in 28 of MLB’s 30 ballparks, with Truist Park and Camden Yards serving as the only exceptions. Your browser does not support HTML5 video tag.
Only six other Red Sox players (Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams, Dick Stuart, George Scott, Jose Canseco and Bobby Dalbec) had homered in five straight games before Devers equaled that feat on Sunday afternoon.
"You take in where Raffy Devers is right now, he's probably the hottest hitter in baseball, and he's doing a lot of special things at the plate,” said Rays manager Kevin Cash.
One of the most impressive things about this surge for Devers is that none of the homers have been straight pull shots. Three have been to straightaway center, two have gone to the opposite field in left and one was to right-center.
Devers is so talented that he is on this power binge while not even being in his best hitting groove.
“Little by little, he’s feeling comfortable. I don’t think he’s there yet,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “Probably if you ask him, he’s not there yet. He knows he needs to be more consistent, and that’s what we’re trying to accomplish. He can hit the ball in the air and hit homers. Right now, it’s impressive. I’m not taking away from what he’s doing. It’s just being very real to where we’re at and where he’s at.”
The hyper-competitive Devers didn’t disagree with his manager.
“I've been only getting one hit per game and that's not me,” Devers said. “I like to get more singles and I feel like I've been missing a lot of my pitches. So for me to be myself I need to get more hits every game instead of just one per game. Of course, the [homers] are very important hits. But at the same time, I'm not up there yet.”
Once Devers is in full swing, it should really be something to behold for the Red Sox.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 5:28:14 GMT -5
Injuries & Moves: Season in jeopardy for Whitlock (right UCL) 12:50 AM ADT
MLB.com
RHP Garrett Whitlock (left oblique strain, right elbow soreness) Expected return: TBD Manager Alex Cora announced that the righty has UCL damage and could need surgery after the club's win on May 20.
Whitlock, who started experiencing discomfort in his elbow the day after his Minor League rehab start on May 15, will be evaluated by Dr. Jeffrey Dugas in Birmingham, Ala. Dugas is same doctor who performed Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito's UCL surgery in March. (Last updated: May 20)
RHP Bryan Mata (right hamstring strain) Expected return: June Mata will continue his rehab assignment on May 23 when he stretches out to three innings for Double-A Portland. Mata, Boston's No. 27 prospect, is out of options, meaning he needs to be placed on the Major League roster once he is healthy to avoid being designated for assignment. Mata's rehab assignment can be no longer than 30 days and expires on June 11. Originally, the Red Sox planned on using him as a reliever this season but they are stretching him out to keep their options open.
"Got to make a decision at one point. He’s very talented," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. "We've been talking about him for a while. It just hasn’t happened. He’s been inconsistent and he’s been hurt. Hopefully he stays healthy and we have to make a decision.” (Last updated: May 20)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 5:30:03 GMT -5
.”Why Rafael Devers’ record-setting HR wasn’t his favorite part of Red Sox win
Published: May. 21, 2024, 12:27 a.m.
By
Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Believe it or not, Rafael Devers’ record-setting home run in the fourth inning of Monday’s win wasn’t the highlight of his night.
In Devers’ mind, the home run — his sixth in as many games, setting a franchise record — was a cool accomplishment. But it wasn’t as meaningful as a rare 6-5-3 double play the Red Sox turned in the seventh inning of a 5-0 victory.
With one out and a man on first, Josh Lowe hit a ground ball up the middle that shortstop Ceddanne Rafaela (in the shift) fielded on the second base side of the bag and shoveled to Devers, who made the turn at second base and threw to first baseman Dominic Smith to escape the inning. It was a play that doesn’t come up much in game action but is still something the Red Sox practice often. To see pregame work come to fruition in a game was especially rewarding for the third baseman.
“They work on that every single day and it never happens,” said manager Alex Cora. “Finally, they had a chance and they turned it.”
From the outside, though, a twin killing to preserve a five-run lead won’t be nearly as memorable as the fourth-inning opposite-field shot Devers hit off righty Taj Bradley. Devers was one of seven players in Red Sox history to homer in five consecutive games. He’s the first to do it in six straight games and is two homers away from tying the all-time MLB record.
“The accomplishment is amazing, six days in a row hitting homers,” Cora said. “Shoot, I can recall how many days in a row I got hits.”
Devers’ homer streak began last week at home against the Rays, as he left Fenway Park on both Wednesday and Thursday in losses. It continued on the road in St. Louis over the weekend, as he hit blasts in two more losses Friday and Saturday before finally contributing to a win in Sunday’s finale. Monday marked Boston’s second win a row and an early offensive turnaround played a big role. Bradley struck out eight of nine batters he faced in three perfect innings before Boston’s bats got to him the second time through. Jarren Duran tripled, Wilyer Abreu doubled and Devers hit his homer to put Boston up, 3-0, in the fourth. Rafaela added a two-run shot of his own as Boston won for just the second time in 17 tries at Tropicana Field.
“We were joking in the dugout, ‘It can only get better offensively. It’s not gonna get worse, so let’s see what happens,’” Cora said. “And that happened.
“We put good at-bats from top to bottom. We put pressure on them, too. All around, one of the best games we’ve played here ... It was fun. It was a well-played baseball game.
Throughout his streak, Devers has insisted that he’s not focused on homering on a daily basis and that his home runs come naturally as a product of a good approach. And even though he made history, both Devers and Cora insisted that the star’s swing is not where he wants it to be. While his plate discipline and pitch recognition have been strong, the 26-year-old doesn’t feel completely locked in at the plate. Devers’ struggles with runners in scoring position throughout the year have left him searching.
“I know it’s a huge accomplishment for me and for the organization, but I’m not the type of player to focus on the records,” Devers said through translator Carlos Villoria Benítez.
“I’ve been hitting only one hit per game and that’s not me,” he added. “I’d like to get more singles and I feel like I’m missing a lot of my pitches. For me to be myself, I need to get more hits per game instead of just one. Of course, they’re important hits, but at the same time, I’m not up there yet.”
Devers might not be satisfied with every swing he takes but he sure did like the one that resulted in the ball reaching the left-field bleachers at the Trop on Monday. He flipped his bat, leaped a bit and celebrated toward the dugout before rounding the basis.
“I don’t usually think about records in the game,” he said. “For me, it was mostly about hitting the ball well in the air with men in scoring position ... For me to be able to help the team and get ahead with two runs at that point, it was a great moment.”
All eyes will be on Devers on Tuesday night as he tries to extend the streak to seven against Zack Littell, who surrendered the second blast of the streak Thursday night at Fenway. Devers said it’s in God’s hands whether or not he can make the streak a week-long feat. A teammate who had a great showing of his own Monday night is expecting the run to continue.
“He’s a freak,” said starter Tanner Houck, who tossed seven shutout innings. “That guy can hit any pitch at any time. To see what he’s done, he’s just an incredible player.”
Maybe there’s another double play to be turned, too.
“The double play for me was a very important play,” Devers said. “At the same time, we’ve been making a lot of errors. We haven’t been communicating as well. For us to make that play in that situation, it was huge.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 5:31:56 GMT -5
Tyler Milliken ⚾️ @tylermilliken_ A night where the Red Sox offense handled business, the staff pitched its ass off, and the defense made a number of great plays.
Plus they got back to .500 and picked up their second win of the season against an AL East team.
Badly needed a few games like yesterday and today. 10:04 PM · May 20, 2024 · 8,579 Views
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 5:37:47 GMT -5
Powerfully unique ability makes Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers’s home run streak that much more impressive By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated May 20, 2024, 11:00 p.m.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. —As the ball sailed majestically into the left-field bleachers at Tropicana Field, Rafael Devers flung his bat and pounded his chest — an unusual yet fitting gesture.
The opposite-field, two-run blast on a 97-mile-per-hour fastball from Rays starter Taj Bradley — which put the Red Sox ahead, 3-0, in the fourth inning of an eventual 5-0 victory — marked the sixth straight contest in which Devers had gone deep. In the process, he claimed sole possession of the longest run of games with homers in Red Sox history, breaking a tie with Bobby Dalbec (2020), Jose Canseco (1995), George Scott (1977), Dick Stuart (1963), Ted Williams (1957), and Jimmie Foxx (1940).
“The accomplishment is amazing,” manager Alex Cora said. “Six days in a row hitting homers? Shoot. I can’t recall how many days in a row I got hits when I played. He’s hitting homers.”
Yet the basic details of the stretch fail to capture the full impression of Devers’ heater. Consider the individual homers:
May 15: Phil Maton threw a slider below the strike zone. Devers golfed it to dead center at Fenway Park.
May 16: Zach Littell threw a middle-middle four-seamer. Devers launched it into the Monster Seats.
May 17: Kyle Gibson spun a curveball almost exactly to his intended spot, at the bottom of the zone and on the outer third. Devers crushed it just to the right of center in St. Louis.
May 18: Miles Mikolas nearly bounced a curveball. Devers intervened before it hit the ground, hitting a driver to the bleachers just to the right of dead center at Busch Stadium.
May 19: Cardinals reliever Ryan Fernandez threw a middle-of-the-zone cutter. Devers didn’t miss, smashing yet another homer into the bleachers in right-center.
May 20: Bradley tried to tie up Devers with the fastball in the inner third of the zone. Devers stayed inside the ball and drilled it 382 feet to the opposite field.
That’s six homers on four different pitch types and in five distinct locations. Devers not only proved capable of sending all soaring over the fence, but did so without selling out for power, with his spray chart revealing homers from right-center to the left-field corner.
“That,” Red Sox assistant general manager and longtime Devers-ologist Eddie Romero said, “is when you know somebody’s locked in.”
It’s an exceptional run, yet far from unprecedented for Devers. Indeed, the ability to drive pitches anywhere in the zone to any part of the ballpark is part of what has always made him a hitter of great distinction.
“It was always interesting doing a scouting reports on him as far as other teams. He’s weird in the fact that he can handle a lot more pitches than your average guy,” rehabbing reliever Liam Hendriks said. “Most guys have their hole and you can get him out. His holes change from series to series, game to game. It’s unbelievable. He can handle high heat. He can handle breaking balls in the dirt. You’ve just got to hope you’ve got the right game plan against his holes that day. But it’s been fun to watch.”
Fellow hitters have likewise marveled while watching Devers from the bench.
“He’s hitting tough pitches up in the zone, down under the zone, inside, outside,” first baseman Dom Smith said. “His mechanics are just really good. It’s something that he works on. That’s why the Red Sox gave him that contract. He knows that’s what’s expected of him. He comes in and works on that [approach] every day.”
Somewhat remarkably, Devers has been coming in early during this stretch because he has not felt locked in at the plate. He sounded almost apologetic that he’s collected a total of seven hits over his six-game homer streak. Cora agreed that even with his remarkable run of homers, Devers has yet to reach his highest offensive gear this season.
That said, there are ways that the 2024 version of the two-time All-Star looks improved from previous seasons. Devers is hitting .284 and on track for single-season bests in OBP (.380) and slugging (.574). After years as a hyper-aggressive hitter, he’s swinging at fewer pitches out of the zone than ever, with a 30 percent chase rate, contributing to a career-best 12 percent walk rate.
“This year has been very good in that part of the game,” Devers said. “I think I came in this year very good [at] recognizing pitches and also being able to lay off bad pitches as well. So for me it’s been very important to be more disciplined at the plate but at the same time I haven’t lost my aggressiveness.”
In the eyes of some members of the Sox who have watched him the longest, this version of Devers — one willing to take walks while swinging with a more controlled effort level — represents a new stage of maturity. At a time when the middle of the lineup has been gutted by the absences of Trevor Story and Triston Casas, Devers has found a way to elevate his production.
“You look at him overall, defense included, and this is the kind of player that we’re expecting to be a cornerstone,” Romero said.
“Everything we challenged him with before the season, he’s been doing,” added Cora. “He’s understanding who he is and what he needs to do.”
The run has reinforced the view of Devers as a special offensive talent. One of the best in the game?
“He’s a $300 million player, so yeah, of course,” a chuckling closer Kenley Jansen said. “Hitting a homer is hard, but hitting [one six games] in a row is pretty impressive. It shows you what caliber of player he is.”
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