Rafael Devers Suggests Possible Reason For Brutal Hitting Slump
‘Maybe I’m thinking too much at the plate’
Rafael Devers is going through it, to say the least.
Devers endured nightmarish struggles with the bat over the Red Sox’s first five games of the 2025 season. Entering Tuesday’s off day for Boston, the three-time All-Star carries an 0-for-19 clip on the campaign with a whopping 15 strikeouts.
As most MLB players will tell you, the mental side of baseball can be as important — if not more — than the physical element. And Devers believes the former could be contributing to his ugly start to the season.
“I never change the way that I hit. I’m still aggressive. I’ve always been like that,” Devers told reporters through translator after the Red Sox’s 8-5 road loss to the Orioles on Monday, as seen on NESN. “Maybe I’m thinking too much at the plate — what the pitcher might throw or not. Otherwise, I feel good.”
Alex Cora chose to focus on the positives after Devers failed to break out of his slump in the opener at Camden Yards. While swing-and-miss remains a clear issue, Cora remains encouraged by Devers only taking hacks at pitches in the strike zone and not chasing. Boston’s manager also shut down the theories that the slugger’s hitting woes were due to lingering shoulder soreness or transition to designated hitter.
