Red Sox Odds: Rafael Devers Making Convincing Push For Home Run Title?
Devers' career-high is 38 home runs, hit in 2021
Rafael Devers isn't off to a red-hot start in the batter's box this season with the Boston Red Sox, but has quickly found himself in contention for the Major League Baseball lead in home runs this season.
Devers became Boston's franchise face this past offseason when the Red Sox committed long-term to the 26-year-old star, locking him to a 10-year, $313.5 million extension that'll keep him in the hot corner through the prime of his career. And while the Red Sox already knew what they paid for, having molded Devers in the farm system before he made his big league debut with the organization in 2017, needless to say, so far, so good overall.
He's slashing .248/.302/.538 with nine doubles, 11 homers and 34 RBIs in 37 games played. Devers is also batting .381, going 8-for-21 in the batter's box over the course of Boston's last seven games. But the big betting question is simple: Is it time to roll the dice on Devers?
During an episode of the 'Chicken Dinner' podcast with NESN betting analyst Sam Panayotovich and former Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks, the two discussed Devers' chances at making a run toward this season's home run title.
"I see Devers at 13-to-1 and I just feel like I need a bigger price there," Panayotovich said. "I need 20-to-1 or 25-to-1."
With that being said, here's a look at the odds, courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook:
Pete Alonso, New York Mets (+260)
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees (+700)
Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves (+850)
Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers (+1300)
Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox (+1300)
Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels (+1600)
Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies (+1600)
Chiming in, Middlebrooks believes that a few of Boston's offseason additions could help Devers make a strong case for himself down the line.
"Who knows what (Masataka) Yoshida's gonna keep doing? If he stays hot, Trevor Story comes back, when (Adam) Duvall's back, he has protection too," Middlebrooks said. "Justin Turner's swinging a good bat. So Devers is gonna get pitches to hit and really, he hasn't been swinging the bat well at all and he's still running into homers. This is probably the worst he's looked at the plate in a long time as far as expanding the zone, swinging at balls, and he's still running into 11 (home runs)."
For more on this conversation, plus plenty of other sports chatter, listen to the full episode of ?Chicken Dinner? down below:
