Non-All-Star Rafael Devers Is On An Absolutely Absurd Tear At The Plate
By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- Technically, Rafael Devers is not an All-Star.
Technically, that's a preposterous statement.
The Red Sox' 22-year-old third baseman is on an absolute tear right now, accentuated Tuesday with a 4-for-5, six-RBI night in a 10-6 win in Toronto. Devers' night got off to a decent start, as he hit a two-run home run in the top of the first, a single in the second, and an RBI single in the third before finally recording an out via strikeout in the sixth. Devers launched his second two-run home run of the night in the eighth.
It was without question a magnificent night for Devers, but it's nothing new. The somehow-not-an-all-star has been playing like an All-Star all season, but he's been particularly hot of late.
After going hitless across four games from June 7-10, Devers has since recorded hits in 15 of 17 games. Of those 15 games with a hit, 10 have been multi-hit games, and three have been multiple-extra-base-hit games.
Over his last 15 games, Devers is batting .468 with a .484 on-base percentage and a 1.307 OPS, with seven doubles, five home runs, and 13 RBIs.
While this would certainly qualify as a hot streak, it's not particularly out of the ordinary for the 2019 version of Rafael Devers.
Devers currently ranks second in the American League with his .329 batting average, and his .926 OPS has him ranked fourth in the AL, one spot behind teammate Xander Bogaerts (who is likewise not an All-Star). Among Red Sox, Devers ranks first with a 3.2 WAR, ahead of Mookie Betts (3.1), Bogaerts (2.7) and J.D. Martinez (1.8). (As an aside, in a development that few could have seen coming, Christian Vazquez ranks fifth on the team with a 1.3 WAR.)
Overall in the American League, here's where Devers ranks as of July 3:
BATTING AVERAGE: 2nd
OBP: 10th
SLUGGING: 3rd
OPS: 4th
WAR: 8th
XBH: T-3rd
And here's where Devers ranks among American League third basemen:
BATTING AVERAGE: 1st
OBP: 2nd
SLUGGING: 1st
OPS: 1st
WAR: 3rd
XBH: 2nd
While getting overlooked for the All-Star Game is a worthwhile side story, the real story with Devers is that at just 22 years old and in just his second full big league season, Devers is making massive strides in his development and is rapidly tracking toward the type of top-flight player the Red Sox he'd be.
Thus far this season, the Red Sox' youngest player has also been their best.
You can email Michael Hurley or find him on Twitter @michaelFhurley.
