Rafael Devers will bear an MRI on his bothersome proper shoulder Saturday, Crimson Sox supervisor Alex Cora instructed reporters (together with The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey) after Friday’s 4-2 loss to the Twins in further innings. Devers was faraway from the sport previous to the beginning of the eleventh, and Cora mentioned that the slugger had been making an attempt to robust it out Friday regardless of tweaking his shoulder throughout pregame batting apply.
Whereas Cora mentioned “we’ll see the place we’re at” following the MRI, he famous that “in all probability, that is it for [Devers]” this season. With simply eight video games remaining and the Crimson Sox all however formally eradicated from the playoff race, the membership is prone to play it secure with the star third baseman.
Devers has been coping with discomfort in each shoulders for chunk of the season, and it’s honest to marvel if his willpower to maintain enjoying has contributed to his extreme stoop. The third baseman had an impressive .296/.375/.587 slash line by way of his first 488 plate appearances however has solely a .172/.265/.212 slash line over his final 113 journeys to the dish. Amongst all certified batters since Aug. 19, Devers’ 34 wRC+ is the third-worst within the league.
The Crimson Sox as a complete have a crew wRC+ of 74 since Aug. 19, forward of solely the lowly White Sox in that timespan. Boston had a 67-60 file as not too long ago as Aug. 22, however a 9-18 file over the membership’s final 27 video games has sunk the Fenway 9’s possibilities of a return to the postseason. Despite the fact that Devers’ stoop dovetails fairly immediately with Boston’s offensive slide, he’s removed from the one Crimson Sox hitter who hit a chilly streak at precisely the fallacious time.
Assuming that is certainly it for Devers’ 2024 season, he’ll nonetheless end with a sometimes sturdy set of numbers — 28 homers and a .272/.354/.516 slash over 601 PA, with a 133 wRC+ and his third All-Star nod. Although a veteran of eight MLB seasons, Devers nonetheless doesn’t flip 28 till the tip of October, and 2024 marked the primary season of the 10-year, $313.5M contract extension he signed with the Crimson Sox through the 2022-23 offseason. Since Devers is such a key part of Boston’s current and future plans, it’s a smart transfer to determine as early as attainable if Devers’ shoulder may require any sort of surgical procedure heading into 2025.