Rafael Devers is on a hot tear after a sluggish start to the season.
Just one week ago, Rafael Devers looked lost at the plate. Now, he’s making history. The Boston Red Sox slugger has flipped the script in a dramatic way, becoming the first player in modern MLB history to go hitless with 15 or more strikeouts across a five-game span — and then collect 10 or more hits in his next five games. It’s a remarkable turnaround, and it’s helping fuel a red-hot stretch for the Red Sox, who’ve now won five straight games.
Devers was front and center in Sunday’s offensive explosion, going 4-for-4 with three RBIs in Boston’s 18-7 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the nightcap of a doubleheader sweep at Fenway Park. It marked the 14th four-hit game of his career and further cemented his bounce-back stretch after an abysmal start to the season.
“He hasn’t been swinging and missing, he’s not chasing, and he’s staying in the zone,” manager Alex Cora said. “Little by little, the swing is back to normal. That was impressive.”
Rafael Devers, Red Sox on an offensive tear
Devers’ first homer of the season came in Game 1 of the doubleheader — a 393-foot shot to the opposite field off Andre Pallante that brought the Fenway faithful to life. The blast snapped a 110-plate-appearance drought dating back to last August and seemed to mark the end of his early-season slump. That game also featured a bases-loaded walk from Devers in the ninth that helped force extra innings, setting the stage for Wilyer Abreu’s walk-off single off the Green Monster.
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Through the first five games of 2025, Devers was 0-for-19 with a staggering 15 strikeouts — setting a dubious record for the most punchouts by any player in the first five games of a season. Now, he’s riding a five-game hitting streak and looking like the offensive force Boston has relied on for years.
“We know that he started the year slow, but we know that he’s going to have a monster year, as he always does,” Abreu said. “So we were very happy for him that he got the first one today.”
The Red Sox’s breakout wasn’t limited to Devers. Boston erupted for 22 hits in Sunday’s nightcap, with Alex Bregman driving in six runs and Abreu adding three more. Rookie right-hander Hunter Dobbins pitched five solid innings in his major league debut, earning the win in a game that quickly turned into a rout.
While Devers’ bounce-back has grabbed the headlines, it’s the overall balance in Boston’s lineup that’s turning heads. Bregman, acquired in the offseason, tied a career high with four hits. Abreu, meanwhile, is off to a scorching .522 start with three homers and nine RBIs through his first seven games.
“We’re getting there,” Cora said. “This team is starting to click.” And with Devers finally locked in at the plate, the Red Sox are looking more dangerous by the day.
