Boston Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers has gotten off to a historically bad start in 2025, and some are wondering if it was a bad idea for the team to make him a full-time designated hitter.
Devers served as the DH for the Red Sox in their four-game series against the Texas Rangers to open the season last week. He went 0-for-16 with 12 strikeouts and set an embarrassing MLB record.
While the sample size is still very small, one theory is that Devers is struggling to adapt to life as a full-time DH. Players who have made that transition have had similar issues in the past.
New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton said years ago that he believes he is more productive at the plate when he plays the field. Houston Astros outfielder Jordan Alvarez is another player who has performed better as a hitter when he is not a DH.
Rafael Devers is 0-16 with 12-SO starting at DH this year
— Fuzzy (@fuzzyfromyt) March 30, 2025
Stanton once said he hated being a DH because he's more engaged as an outfielder, and his .900+OPS as a outfielder shows that
Yordan Alvarez hits .325 when he plays LF, compared to .285 as a DH
Interesting stuff tbh
Stanton said in 2021 that he feels like he benefits from being able to “focus somewhere else” when he plays the field.
“I think it’s helped kind of not just focusing on hitting,” Stanton said at the time. “You always want to be your best in the box and feel like you’re in the best mind frame. But that also means turning it off for a second and using that focus somewhere else. So yeah, being out there, it helps in some way.”
Devers played third base for the Red Sox before they signed Alex Bregman. The 28-year-old did not want to give up his position and was very vocal about it. At one point during the winter, he even did not rule out requesting a trade if the Red Sox wanted him to become a DH.
The Red Sox made the move anyway, and manager Alex Cora all but admitted that Devers was unhappy about it.
Given how adamant Devers was about playing the field, it would not be a surprise if the change has thrown off his routine and shaken his confidence. Though, former Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon seems to think there could be another issue at play with Devers.
