Red Sox
Just hours after being named an All-Star for the third time, Rafael Devers confirmed his status as one in all baseball's best hitters on Sunday night in a game against the Yankees.
The 27-year-old third baseman left his fingerprints throughout Boston's 3-0 win over the Yankees, hitting two solo home runs within the seventh and ninth innings to assist Boston secure one other series victory.
Devers has been a key a part of Boston's lineup since his arrival in 2017, but his ability to hit the Yankees increases his value to the Red Sox even further.
The star third baseman has now hit 16 home runs at Yankee Stadium, with Devers now the one player in Red Sox history to record three multiple home run games against the Yankees at age 27 or younger (7/23/21, 7/7/22, 7/7/24) — in keeping with JP Long of the Red Sox.
The only other players age 27 or younger to have three multiple home run games against the Yankees within the last 50 years are Ken Griffey Jr., Evan Longoria and Manny Machado.
Sunday's game within the Bronx was primarily a pitcher's duel between Kutter Crawford (7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB) and Luis Gil, with the rating tied 0-0 until the seventh inning.
Devers gave Boston a lead they might never relinquish with one out within the seventh inning, smashing a fastball from Gil across the sphere into the left-field stands.
As Long noted, Devers now has 11 home runs to steer the Yankees, probably the most in franchise history and ahead of legends like Jim Rice (10), David Ortiz (nine), Ted Williams (eight) and Carl Yastrzemski (seven).
Devers also made some spectacular plays on the sphere, making a slow dribble pass from DJ LeMahieu to first base together with his bare hands within the eighth inning for an inning-ending out.
Devers gave Boston some extra security within the ninth inning by catching an outdoor pitch by Yankees relief pitcher Michael Tonkin and fighting his approach to center field for his second big fly of the sport.
According to Sarah Langs of MLB, Devers' 423-foot home run within the ninth inning was the fourth-farthest pitch a left-handed hitter has hit a house run from since Statcast data began to be utilized in 2015.
“He loves the spotlight and is very quiet,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Devers. in keeping with MLB's Ian Browne. “But you could feel it [from Devers] from the beginning in the shelter. It seems as if [Yankee] It was quieter in the stadium today than on the last two days and he kept saying: “Let’s go, guys, we have to keep going. We have to push.” And then at the tip he just took us on his shoulders and
image credit : www.boston.com