Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora has a special relationship with third baseman Rafael Devers.
But while Cora was serving a one-year suspension last season, he got to watch the young slugger from a different perspective. Instead of coaching him from the dugout, Cora got to watch Devers on television from his home.
And ahead of Boston's game Tuesday against the Astros in Houston, Cora relayed what that experience was like.
"It's fun to watch," Cora said. "His breathing technique to him talking to himself, slamming his helmet whenever he misses a fastball, it's Comedy Central to be honest with you. It was a great show. As a player, you know, the fact that he can look so lost in one at-bat and then in the next one, he can connect and go the other way and hit a homer or hit a laser to the other way. It's eye-opening. There's ups and downs obviously like everybody else, but it just feels watching him, you know, especially on TV, that he has a chance to do damage in any pitch. From way up top to down to bottom. Obviously we would like him to do damage in the zone and not chase pitches out of the zone. But that's who he is. It was fun to watch on TV. Just the fact that you feel like he's gonna crush a pitch at any time, I know the fans, they enjoy that."
Certainly, fans also appreciate Devers' approach to the game, always with a smile on his face. And of course, the 14 home runs this season help.
Devers, Cora and the Red Sox take on the Astros at 8:10 p.m. ET on NESN.
