Does Rafael Devers need to wow fans in order to claim the status of most-exciting Boston Red Sox player?
Maybe or maybe not.
ESPN's David Schoenfield on Tuesday named the Red Sox third baseman Boston's "most-exciting" player for the 2021 Major League Baseball season. Schoenfield argues since we are more likely to see the 2019 version of Devers than the 2020 player, who battled an ankle injury throughout the pandemic-shortened season, fans should pay particularly close to the budding-superstar.
"... Devers hit .311 with 32 home runs while leading the American League in total bases (359) and doubles (54) in 2019," Schoenfield wrote. "He got off to a slow start coming out of summer camp in 2020, but he's still just 24 years old and his 2019 seasons was an indicator that he can be one of the best hitters in the game."
Schoenfield followed his assessment of the excitement surrounding Devers by offering a "bold" and about his season to come.
"How about a chase for 60 doubles?" Schoenfield wrote. "Devers becomes just the seventh player -- and the first since 1936 -- with 60 in a season."
There's nothing like a good pursuit of a record or other historic feat to drum up excitement during a given season. Whether that turns out to be Devers chasing 60 doubles remains to be seen, but he would claim the Mr. Exciting title by doing so.
