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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Tom Verducci

Rafael Devers’s Historic Struggles Come Down to One Issue

Devers recovered from shoulder injuries and was moved off third base this offseason, but his problems at the plate appear to be caused by poor mechanics. | Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images

The Boston Red Sox have a Rafael Devers problem. Near the beginning of a 10-year, $313.5 million contract, Devers is no longer a third baseman and he is off to a historically bad start at the plate.

Devers is 0-for-19: three groundouts to first base, one groundout to third base and a record 15 strikeouts in five games, two more punchouts than the previous high through five games set by Pat Burrell in 2001 and matched by Byron Buxton in 2017. Everyone slumps. But it is rare to see such a great hitter be this bad.

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