There is a growing optimism that the Boston Red Sox will be able to see third baseman Rafael Devers back in action before the end of their ongoing series against the Seattle Mariners. Devers missed Friday's game versus the Mariners in this four-leg series in Seattle. He has also been scratched for the third game of the matchup Saturday night. That leaves Devers with just two more games in the series to suit up, a possibility that just got much more likelier following the latest update from Boston manager Alex Cora.
Rafael Devers nearing return from injury
Cora sounded optimistic about the odds of Devers getting back to action this Sunday.
“One more day probably,” Cora stated just before Saturday's Red Sox vs. Mariners game (h/t Christopher Smith of MassLive).
“He felt OK today. Feeling better. So we’ll keep him out from this one and most likely it will be tomorrow,” the Red Sox skipper added.
Devers shined in the Red Sox's first game of the season, which was a 6-4 win versus Seattle last Thursday. In that game, the 27-year-old Devers went 2/5 with a home run. His two-run blast in the third inning delivered the first runs of the season for the Red Sox in the 2024 MLB campaign. However, an issue with his left shoulder got him sidelined for two games in a row. The discomfort in his shoulder seemed to be an issue he has been dealing with since spring training.
“In Fort Myers, the pain wasn’t that big,” Devers said via interpreter Carlos Villoria-Benetiz (h/t Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic).
“I was able to handle it and play with it. But playing with that pain, it was getting worse and worse and worse to the point where I decided to stop.”
In spring training, Devers slashed .380/.436/.720 with five home runs and 11 RBIs along with five walks across 55 plate appearances. The two-time All-Star also slashed .271/.351/.500 with 33 home runs and 1010 RBIs in 153 games and 656 plate appearances back in the 2023 MLB season.
The Red Sox surely missed the services of Devers in Game 2 of the Mariners series, as they suffered their first loss of the 2024 MLB regular season via a score of 1-0. Boston's offense couldn't get through the Mariners' pitching, with Devers' replacement in the starting lineup, Bobby Dalbec, going just 0/3 with two strikeouts. Overall, the Red Sox went 0/31 at the plate, with George Kirby and Seattle's bullpen putting together a gem of a performance on the mound.
For what it's worth, Devers has an excellent resume against Kirby, and he probably would have made damage at the plate had he been available. Devers is 5/10 lifetime against Kirby with a double, a home run, a walk, three RBIs, and only two strikeouts in his career opposite the Mariners right-hander.
However, Devers doesn't have incredible numbers against the Mariners' scheduled starter on Sunday. Devers is hitless with three strikeouts in eight career at-bats against Seattle righty Logan Gilbert.
Boston's schedule
After the series versus the Mariners, the Red Sox will continue their road trip with a three-game series waiting for them against the Oakland Athletics that starts on Monday. Boston will next take on the Los Angeles Angels for a three-game set beginning on Apr. 5 before finally flying home for their Fenway Park season debut against the Baltimore Orioles on Apr. 9.
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