Unlike Jarren Duran and Tanner Houck, being named an All-Star isn't new to Boston Red Sox star third baseman Rafael Devers.
Devers received the honor for the third time in his career Sunday as he was elected as a reserve to the American League team alongside Duran and Houck.
The 27-year-old from the Dominic Republic feels like one of the elder statesmen of the event now, especially with a pair of first-timers from the Red Sox tagging along with him next week to Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
"My first All-Star Game, I was one of the youngest players on the All-Star team. Now I feel like I'm one of the veteran guys here," Devers told reporters through a translator prior to facing the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium, per MLB.com's Ian Browne. "It means a lot. It's very nice to be able to share the All-Star Game with those two guys and it's very special."
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Devers first made the trip to the All-Star Game as a 24-year-old in 2021. He went the following season, too, but didn't get back there in 2023 despite another standout campaign.
Devers suffered from nagging shoulder and knee injuries at the beginning of the season, but never went on the injured list to recover from those aliments. Devers sure was rewarded for pushing through as he is now batting .287 and leads the Red Sox with 19 home runs and 53 RBIs.
The success at this stage of Devers' career puts him in an exclusive group in Red Sox history. Barring injury, Devers will become just the seventh Red Sox player to appear in their third All-Star Game at the age of 27 or younger, according to Red Sox senior manager of media relations and baseball information J.P. Long. Devers would join Fred Lynn, Ted Williams, Mookie Betts, Bobby Doerr, Jim Rice and Nomar Garciaparra.
That's certainly good company to be in for Devers as he continues to build quite the resume.
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Featured image via Sam Navarro/USA TODAY Sports Images
