Things continue to go from bad to worse for Red Sox star Rafael Devers after striking out three more times on Monday in a loss to the Orioles in Baltimore.
The tough day at the plate saw Devers go 0-for-3 with two walks and three strikeouts and moved him to 0-for-19 through the first five games of the season.
It also brought his strikeout total to 15 over 19 at-bats, which is remarkably the same number of strikeouts Tony Gwynn had in 585 at-bats during the 1995 season.
Despite the struggles, Devers did appear to be in good spirits when he spoke with reporters after the loss.
“I’ve been feeling good. Feeling good today, I felt good at all the at-bats. Obviously I haven’t been able to hit the ball, but I feel good. I feel like my at-bats are getting better and better,” he said.
Still, even as Devers tried to put on a brave face, the numbers have not been kind to the infielder.
The 15 strikeouts through five games are the most in MLB history through that timespan, with Devers surpassing Cubs outfielder Ian Happ’s 14 strikeouts in 2018 to start the season.
“I never changed the way that I hit. I’m still aggressive,” Devers said. “My batting stance and everything like that, I’ve always been like that. Maybe I’m thinking too much at the plate what the pitcher might throw or not, but otherwise, I feel very good.”
Devers’ slump has garnered plenty of attention and reactions, which included former Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon.
During NESN’s coverage of Sunday’s loss, Papelbon suggested that Devers was “out of shape” and that “maybe we’ve got to trim a little bit of fat.”
The Red Sox are off on Tuesday before continuing their series with the Orioles on Wednesday, which will be Devers’ next chance to get a hit.
Credit: Source link
