It’s only been six games, but Rafael Devers already has joined some elite company in Boston Red Sox franchise history.
The 20-year-old phenom went 4-for-4 during Boston’s 6-2 win over the Cleveland Indians on Monday, and in doing so, became just the fourth player in Red Sox history to record four hits in a game before the age of 21. Devers joined Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, Tony Conigliaro and Dalton Jones as the only other players to accomplish the feat for Boston.
With those four hits in Monday’s game, Devers also became just the third player in 100 years to record 10 hits in his first six games for Boston, joining Williams (11 hits) and Ted Cox (10 hits).
The young star already has shown he’s a “rare” player, and he has made an immediate impact on the Red Sox’s lineup with his ability to hit the ball to all fields, which was evident during his first career Fenway Park home run, which found its way onto the Green Monster on Sunday.
That home run, consequently, also put Devers in special company, as he became the first Red Sox rookie to hit two homers in his first five games since Will Middlebrooks did so in 2012. Sam Horn (1987), Bill Selby (1991) and Mo Vaughn (1997) are the only other Red Sox to reach the plateau.
Devers now is hitting .417 since his call-up from Triple-A Pawtucket. He has tallied two home runs, four RBI, four runs, two doubles and accumulated a 1.231 OPS over that span while showing great patience and discipline at the plate.
Manager John Farrell moved Devers up to the No. 6 spot in the Red Sox’s lineup before Monday’s game, and that’s where the rookie finds himself Tuesday night when he’ll take the field behind left-hander Chris Sale at Fenway Park.
Here are the complete lineups for Tuesday’s Red Sox vs. Indians game.
RED SOX (58-49)
Mookie Betts, RF
Brock Holt, LF
Eduardo Nunez, 2B
Hanley Ramirez, DH
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Rafael Devers, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Mitch Moreland, 1B
Christian Vazquez, C
Chris Sale, LHP (13-4, 2.37 ERA)
INDIANS (57-47)
Francisco Lindor, SS
Brandon Guyer, RF
Michael Brantley, LF
Jose Ramirez, 2B
Edwin Encarnacion, DH
Carlos Santana, 1B
Austin Jackson, CF
Yan Gomes, C
Giovanny Urshela, 3B
Carlos Carrasco, RHP (10-4, 3.58 ERA)
[polldaddy type="iframe" survey="431FFE4513DAA40B" height="auto" domain="nesnpromo" id="peoples-united-bank-leading-off-giveaway-2017"]Thumbnail photo via Joe Nicholson/USA TODAY Sports Images
