Will Boston Red Sox star Rafael Devers ever get a hit again? Barring some kind of horrific career-ending injury in the coming days, we’ll absolutely see Devers in the hit column soon. However, Red Sox fans are understandably frustrated after their All-Star slugger went 0-for-16 with 12 strikeouts during Boston’s four-game series against the Texas Rangers.
It’s been a strange spring for Devers, who reported to camp expecting to play his typical third base. However, the Red Sox assigned offseason signee Alex Bregman to the hot corner and moved Devers to designated hitter, a change he initially resisted. Devers became the first player to strike out at least 12 times in his first four games of an MLB season. “I feel very good at the plate,” Devers said Friday amid an 0-for-8 start, according to Boston.com. “I just haven’t been able to hit the ball.”
Devers may sound confident, but Red Sox fans don’t share his optimism. “Only Alex Cora’s [expletive] keeps Devers in the lineup all 4 games,” one X (formerly Twitter) user wrote.
Added another: “Joke of a team. 0 ~ 12 RISP. Devers 0 ~16 with 12 strikeouts. Lol.” Devers typically avoids slow starts, hitting .266 with 27 home runs, 94 RBI, and an .803 OPS across 155 career March/April games. Not every All-Star can say the same; New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge and New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor often struggle in the season’s early going.
“Devers get ready to learn AAA,” one fan sarcastically (we assume) wrote.
Some X users shared videos of people swinging and missing in a slow-pitch batting cage, jokingly comparing them to the two-time Silver Slugger.
“Send Devers down to the Minors and don’t bring him up until he finds his rhythm and starts making contact and getting on base,” another fan vented. Of course, the Red Sox cannot send Devers to Triple-A without his permission. The three-time All-Star has no minor-league options remaining.
“The Sox are gonna be in trouble if he doesn’t turn it on quick,” an X user commented. “The AL East is going to be extremely challenging to claw back into contention if you dig a hole early.”
