For better or worse, Red Sox manager Alex Cora believes the biggest issues for Rafael Devers are relatively easy to fix.
Devers is mired in one of the worst slumps anyone has ever faced to begin a season. Boston’s designated hitter enters Wednesday’s game in Baltimore with an 0-for-19 showing with a staggering 15 strikeouts through the first five games.
The Red Sox are presumably working tirelessly to fix Devers’ struggles. In the meantime, the 0-fer has led to many theories about why he’s struggling. Some wonder if Devers is letting the mental and emotional parts of moving from third base to DH — a move he didn’t want to make — negatively affect him. Others have pointed out Devers’ late start to the spring could be a culprit.
In his weekly interview with WEEI on Wednesday, Cora pushed back on both.
“No, no, no, this is more mechanics and you know, he’s in a bad spot mechanically. He’s been grinding through it, just not the start we wanted or what he wanted, but it’s not related to the DH,” Cora told WEEI, saying he agreed with Devers’ comments in Texas about it not being an issue and trying to move forward.
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” … We’re helping him with everything, we know that, but whoever thinks that not playing defense leads to swinging and missing, I disagree with that. I think it’s more about the individual and the things we need to do to get back locked in.”
As to whether Devers’ problems were in some way tied to his late start to the spring and limited in-game at-bats as Devers recovered from shoulder problems, Cora pointed to Wilyer Abreu. The Red Sox outfielder missed a lot of time in spring training with an illness, and he’s 7-for-11 with two home runs through the first five games of the season.
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“I can say that and use it as an excuse, but I won’t do it because our right fielder right now is one of the best hitters in the league, and he didn’t have too many at-bats in the big field, right?” Cora said. The way I explain it, you get two at-bats in the exhibition game, but they were getting nine the next day. Was it against (minor leaguers)? It all depends on the day, but they were getting plenty of at-bats in the back field. Obviously, the adrenaline, the third deck, lights are different when it starts here, but I think with the repetitions and at-bats to get ready to start the season, he was in a good spot.”
Cora said he’s seen signs of life, too. He emphasized Devers’ pitch selection has been solid and saw something in a swing Monday that encouraged him. With someone as good as Devers, it might not take much to break out.
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“He’s only a line drive to left field from getting it going again,” Cora said.
Featured image via Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports Images
