Last night, Rafael Devers hit a 103 mph fastball from one of the best closers in the game to left-center field to tie the game at two. Devers is hitting .328 since his call-up on 7/24. At first, general manager Dave Dombrowski said Devers would platoon at third base, seeing time off against lefties. That statement has been abandoned. Can we blame the team? Devers is one of the purest hitter on the Boston Red Sox.
In 15 major league games, Devers has five multi-hit games. He’s hit safely in 12 of those games, along with four home runs, 10 RBI and nine runs. It’s unfair to compare Devers to other rookies who have played more games and have more at-bats, but out of all rookies in 2017, Devers ranks first in average, second in on-base percentage, third in slugging and second on OPS.
Devers also has the ability to put the ball anywhere in the field. The following is his spray chart for balls in play with the Boston Red Sox. Take a look at how effectively spreads the ball across the diamond and all parts of the outfield.
See how he is able to go opposite field with home run power. He can also pull the ball to right field and right-center. Also watch his textbook-like swing here.
Notice how Devers gets proper turning in the hips which create the majority of the power, not his arms. It creates an effortless swing to drive the ball, also needing little power from his legs. It’s an ideal perfect swing that give him the ability to hit 30+ homers a year.
Devers has a textbook swing with the stats to prove that he has one of the purest swings on the team. He’s going to stick around for awhile and he’s only going to produce more down the stetch.
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