Rafael Devers continues to put his name in the Boston Red Sox’s history book.
Earlier this season, the 20-year-old rookie joined a list that includes Ted Williams and Babe Ruth as one of only five Red Sox players to record four hits in a game before the age of 21.
Devers joined Williams on another list Monday night when he blasted his fifth home run of the season in his first at-bat of the Red Sox’s 7-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians at Fenway Park.
By hitting a home run in back-to-back games, the third baseman joined Williams and Tony Conigliaro as the only Red Sox players to homer in consecutive contests before the age of 21.
Devers crushed a home run off a 103-mph fastball from New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman on Sunday, which was a rare feat in and of itself.
And if that wasn’t enough, Devers joined Williams and Conigliaro on another list when he hit a breaking ball over the right field fence for his second home run of the game in the fourth inning Monday.
Manager John Farrell couldn’t praise his young star enough after his two-home run performance.
“What we’re seeing the last two days from Rafael Devers is nothing short of impressive,” Farrell said, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “You see the velocity hits last night, today another fastball in the middle of the plate and he goes the other way, and the fact that he hit a breaking ball that was basically on his shoetops, to hit it out of the ballpark, that’s very unique for any hitter of any age. It’s impressive.”
While Devers is off to a blistering start in his Major League Baseball career, Farrell isn’t worried about the budding star getting caught up in his early success.
“He’s a humble young guy,” Farrell said. “There’s genuine confidence there but not boisterous in any way, I think he’s all about baseball, he’s all eyes and ears in his work sessions, and even in games when he’s not been in the starting role, the game is a priority to him so I think he’s basically focused on what his job is between the lines.”
Devers continues to be a force in the middle of Boston’s order. Through the first 17 games of his big league career, Devers is hitting .339 with six home runs and 12 RBIs, and has filled what was a gaping hole at third base for the Red Sox.
The rookie’s emergence has come at an important time for the Red Sox, as they are in need of some offensive punch with second baseman Dustin Pedroia on the 10-day disabled list and shortstop Xander Bogaerts continuing to scuffle.
Let’s take a look at more notes from Red Sox vs. Indians.
— Andrew Benintendi now has a career-high eight-game hitting streak after his solo home run Monday. Benintendi is batting .436 with five home runs and 13 RBIs in the month of August.
— Heath Hembree has allowed 10 home runs this season, and six of them have come to the first batter he has faced.
— Mookie Betts has struck out in 16.4 percent of his at-bats after the MLB All-Star break.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
