Red Sox manager Alex Cora brushed off speculation that Rafael Devers was dealing with an injury after Boston’s 5-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the American League Division Series.
But it certainly seemed like something was wrong with the Red Sox third baseman, and The Boston Globe’s Michael Silverman and Alex Speier offered some clarity Friday morning.
A major league source told Silverman and Speier that Devers is dealing with discomfort in his right forearm.
The issue reportedly flares up when Devers swings and misses but is not a problem when the 24-year-old makes contact. So, perhaps that explains why he’s been dropping his bat on non-contact swings dating back to the end of the regular season.
Silverman and Speier noted Friday that Devers began wearing a compression sleeve on his elbow Sept. 26, the day after striking out on an awkward swing against the New York Yankees.
Devers went 1-for-4 with a single and two strikeouts Thursday in Boston’s Game 1 defeat at Tropicana Field. He struck out with the bases loaded in the eighth inning against Rays reliever J.P. Feyereisen, all but ending the Red Sox’s chances of making a miracle comeback in St. Petersburg.
Obviously, it remains to be seen how much the injury will impact Devers moving forward in the ALDS — maybe he’ll make a bunch of contact and his elbow will be fine — but it’s certainly something worth monitoring as the Red Sox look to bounce back from a disappointing Game 1 performance in which they struggled mightily with runners on base.
