The Boston Red Sox were struggling to score runs in the first inning of games until they moved Rafael Devers up in the lineup.
Strike early and often. Draw first blood. Don’t play from behind. These traits of a good offensive ballclub have mostly escaped the Boston Red Sox this season. At least until recently.
The Red Sox lineup has struggled to get going early in games despite multiple All-Stars batting near the top of the order. Boston ranks 24th in the majors with a .234 batting average and 22nd with a .728 OPS in the first inning this season.
This roster is too talented to be this futile in any inning, let alone the opening frame when several of their best hitters typically step to the plate. Their fortune was bound to change and it appears they are in the midst of positive regression of late.
Boston has scored at least four runs in the first inning of each of their last three games, matching the longest streak in MLB history. It’s the third time in franchise history that the Red Sox have accomplished this streak and the first time since 1974.
The Red Sox have scored at least 4 runs in the 1st inning in each of their last 3 games, matching the longest streak in MLB history (source: @EliasSports). It is the 3rd time the Sox have accomplished the feat (also April 1974 and September 1956).
— J.P. Long (@SoxNotes) July 3, 2019
Two of those games were in London against the New York Yankees when both teams put up video game numbers on the scoreboard. The other was at the hitter-friendly park in Toronto against a poor Blue Jays staff. The environment certainly played a part in this historic stretch but there’s another factor that deserves credit.
The first-inning offensive outbursts can be traced back to the middle game of their post-London series against the Chicago White Sox. This stretch correlates with manager Alex Cora moving Rafael Devers into the No. 2 hole in the lineup. The young third baseman went 4-for-4 with three doubles in that game, one of which drove in Mookie Betts to put Boston on the board in the first inning.
Boston has scored at least one run in the first inning of each game since Devers was moved up in the order. He hasn’t always been involved in the run scoring but he is thriving in his new lineup spot. Devers is 14-for-23 (.608) with six doubles, two home runs, and eight RBI in five games since moving to the second spot in the lineup.
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It could be that Devers is seeing better pitches with J.D. Martinez lurking behind him in the batting order. Or he’s just pissed off about being snubbed for the All-Star Game so he’s taking out his frustrations on opposing pitching staffs. Whatever is fueling Devers over the last handful of games, it’s working for him.
The one drawback to this lineup change is how it will affect Andrew Benintendi. The 24-year old struggled when tasked with taking over the leadoff spot, forcing Cora to swap Benny and Betts at the top of the lineup. Benintendi’s bat woke up once he returned to the No. 2 spot he thrived in last season, hitting .303/.350/.459 in 25 games.
Benintendi sat out three of the last five games due to leg issues, or as Cora described, Benny’s legs were “feeling heavy.” He’s 0-for-8 in the last two games he has played. Fatigue may explain his punchless performance in those games but the team will need to monitor how he produces from a lower spot in the lineup.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Benintendi’s leg issues forced a lineup change but Cora may have struck gold with this new configuration at the top. Devers is on fire and the Red Sox lineup is clicking more than it has at any point this season. They should stick with Devers in the No. 2 spot as long as it’s working.