What good is a delegated hitter who cannot hit? It is a query the Pink Sox discover themselves asking.
After being relieved of third-base duties this offseason, Pink Sox designated hitter Rafael Devers has one job. And to date in 2025, he is failing miserably.
On Monday, Devers’ horrific begin to the 2025 season continued after the three-time All-Star went 0-of-3 with three strikeouts in an 8-5 loss to the Orioles (3-2).
Via 5 video games, Devers has but to document a success, going 0-of-19 with 15 strikeouts. It is his longest hitless streak to start a season in his nine-year profession.
The 2-time Silver Slugger Award winner entered the season with a profession .278 batting common, beginning 942 of 980 video games at third base.
This offseason, the Pink Sox (1-4) signed free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman. After initially refusing to move from his corner infield position, Devers relented during spring training and moved to designated hitter.
The shift made sense for the Pink Sox. Devers was a legal responsibility as a fielder, main the AL in third-base errors for seven consecutive seasons (2018-24). His 141 profession errors are essentially the most amongst lively third basemen.
Shifting Devers to DH, the place he may deal with the one factor he is first rate at, was an affordable concept that hasn’t labored out as deliberate.
The MLB season is a marathon, not a dash, so Devers may nonetheless have an excellent season. Simply final 12 months, he batted .188 by way of 13 video games earlier than ending 2024 with a .272 common.
Nevertheless, his poor 2025 begin continues his hunch from late final 12 months. In his final 36 video games a season in the past, Devers slashed .191/.279/.294, hitting three residence runs and hanging out 45 instances in 136 at-bats.
Batting second in Boston’s lineup, Devers’ lack of manufacturing is particularly regarding. If it continues, the Sox might want to take into account shifting him down the order till he finds his kind. Contemplating his reluctance to maneuver from third regardless of it being within the group’s finest curiosity, we will not think about that being an fulfilling dialog.
Devers and the Pink Sox may quickly attain a breaking level. If their designated hitter is not recording hits, they’re going to have to search out somebody who will.
