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Rafael Devers continues to be one of the best players in the entire MLB. The Boston Red Sox's best hitter, Devers is currently slashing .292/.373/.578 — with his current on-base and slugging percentage being career-bests. No professional athlete becomes this good in their field without loving the sport so much, which is why Devers also keeps tabs on the peers that give him a sense of joy from watching the game.
In particular, the Red Sox star third baseman is fond of Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who has put together all his physical tools and has, in turn, put up one of the best middle infield seasons in history.
“There are a lot of good baseball players right now, like Bobby Witt Jr. from Kansas City. He has become one of my favorites. He is a great athlete, it is something… that seeing him play impresses [me] more than any other player right now,” Devers said in his native tongue, via Jeff Passan of ESPN.
Sat down with Boston Red Sox star Rafael Devers and talked about growing up at Fenway Park, how it feels to be the "old" man in the clubhouse and why Bobby Witt Jr. is his favorite player to watch these days. pic.twitter.com/lysUvT37qu
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 26, 2024
But in the grand scheme of things, Rafael Devers has a soft spot for some Red Sox players he once shared a clubhouse with. He shouted out the players that showed him the ropes and helped mold him into the player he is today, with the most prominent player receiving a mention being Mookie Betts. Nonetheless, Devers asserts that his personal favorite at the moment is Witt.
“Mookie Betts has always been there too. J.D. [Martinez], Bogie [Xander Bogaerts] whom I played with, has always been one of my favorites, not only as a player but also as a teammate,” Devers added.
Rafael Devers is not alone in enjoying the privilege of being able to watch those aforementioned players play ball. Bobby Witt Jr., in particular, has no weakness in his game. He is an amazing player, and is definitely worthy of the ultimate respect the Red Sox third baseman has for him.
Is Rafael Devers fueling the fire of the Red Sox's storied rivalry vs. the Yankees?
Bobby Witt Jr. is putting together one of the best all-around seasons for a shortstop the MLB has ever seen. He is slashing .347/.396/.611, which would be good enough to play on any position. But he's doing all that from the hardest position in the infield, all the while being one of the best defenders at the position. He is also a positive contributor on the basepaths, making him a true five-tool player.
Alas, Witt appears to have been overtaken by New York Yankees star Aaron Judge in the AL MVP race. Judge has been on a heater since the calendar flipped to May, and he hasn't looked back since. The Yankees slugger has breached the 50-home run mark yet again, and he has overtaken the Royals star for the league lead in WAR, which could be a major factor in the voting process.
Thus, by choosing Witt as his favorite player, is Rafael Devers unwittingly stoking the fire of rivalry between the Red Sox and the Yankees? Some fans on X certainly took notice of Devers' choice and interpreted it as such.
But at the end of the day, Devers is certainly valid with his choice. There may be other more exciting players to watch for some (Shohei Ohtani perhaps?), but Witt is definitely worthy of such praise.
