Rafael Devers gets 1st hit of 2025 season after 15 strikeouts in 19 at-bats in Red Sox's win over Orioles

Rafael Devers still isn't out of what's been a nightmarish start to his 2025 season. But the Boston Red Sox designated hitter was eventually going to get his first hit. A turnaround had to start somewhere. It had to start sometime. 

What Devers and the Red Sox hope is a breakthrough occurred in the fifth inning of Wednesday's 3-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles. He got ahead of Orioles pitcher Zach Eflin on a two-ball, one-strike count, and the right-hander left too much of a curveball in the middle of the strike zone on his next pitch. 

Devers pulled the ball to right field for a double, scoring Ceddanne Rafaela and giving the Red Sox a 3-0 lead. 

Fresh off agreeing to a six-year contract extension worth a reported $170 million, Garrett Crochet pitched eight scoreless innings, allowing only four hits with eight strikeouts. Aroldis Chapman finished the Red Sox win with a scoreless ninth, earning his first save of the season. With the win, Boston improves to 2-4 and avoids falling too far behind in the AL East. 

Devers not only got his first hit and drove in his first run five games into the season. He later got his second hit with a seventh-inning single. But while batting 2-for-4, he didn't strike out. Strikeouts have been a huge problem for Devers, who hasn't just looked ineffective at the plate but downright lost with his timing. 

Coming into Tuesday's game, Devers was 0-for-19 with 15 strikeouts. He's struck out three or more times in four of his five games. In his first three games of the season, Devers struck out 10 times and set an MLB record. 

The terrible start magnified Devers' dissatisfaction about being moved off his regular position of third base when the Red Sox signed free agent Alex Bregman. Keeping the far superior defender at third base, where Bregman won a Gold Glove last season, appeared to be the obvious move. Bregman rates highly per defensive metrics such as Outs Above Average and Fielding Run Value, while those numbers say Devers was one of the worst at his position.

Yet Devers was initially adamant that he was Boston's third baseman. However, the nine-year veteran had less of an argument as he couldn't bat, let alone field, during the spring as he recovered from a shoulder injury that ended his 2024 season in September. 

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Red Sox manager Alex Cora navigated the situation well, not publicly committing to Bregman at third base despite Devers not being able to play the field. Eventually, Cora and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow convinced Devers to back off his strident stance, and the slugger said he was "here to help." 

As the regular season began, Cora supported Devers as he struggled, saying he needed to work out his swing mechanics and adjust a batting stance that was making him late on fastballs. That coaching and Devers being able to get work in at the plate may have finally paid off.