The Boston Red Sox made a significant move in free agency by signing third baseman Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract. Bregman’s arrival meant that Rafael Devers had to shift from third base to the designated hitter role. However, the season didn’t start well for either Devers or the Red Sox. After winning on Opening Day, Boston dropped four straight games—three against the Texas Rangers and one against the Baltimore Orioles. During this rough stretch, Devers struggled at the plate, going hitless in 19 at-bats with 15 strikeouts while still batting second in the lineup under manager Alex Cora.
That cold streak finally ended on Wednesday. In the fifth inning, Devers hit an RBI double, bringing home Ceddanne Rafaela to extend Boston’s lead to 3-0. Later, in the eighth inning, he added a single.
After the game, Devers reflected on his early-season struggles, acknowledging that while many people were concerned, he remained confident. “I knew it was going to come,” Devers said through his translator. “But I also received a lot of texts from people worried about me. And I was OK. So it’s more about other people than for me.” The support from his teammates was evident, and their enthusiastic reactions to his hit reinforced that. “It makes me happy seeing that reaction because that makes me see they are paying attention to my at-bat and they’re supporting me,” Devers added.
With his slump behind him, Devers notched two hits in a three-inning span during Boston’s sixth game of the season. The Red Sox will wrap up their series against the Orioles on Thursday before returning home to take on the St. Louis Cardinals.