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Red Sox: 3 players to watch this weekend against the Miami Marlins

By Brendan Mizgala

BOSTON, MA - MAY 26: Rafael Devers #11 high fives Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox after they both score in the sixth inning off a game against the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park on May 26, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 26: Rafael Devers #11 high fives Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox after they both score in the sixth inning off a game against the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park on May 26, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
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Red Sox 3B Rafael Devers
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 02: Rafael Devers #11 of the Boston Red Sox throws to first to force out Ryan Mountcastle #6 of the Baltimore Orioles on Opening Day at Fenway Park on April 02, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Orioles defeat the Red Sox 3-0. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

Player #2: Red Sox 3B Rafael Devers

This is the guy that everyone should be watching this weekend as my guy Rafael Devers is HEATING UP! Big Scoops has been doing the damn thing as of late and is tearing the cover off of baseballs left and right. Seriously if he’s getting a hit nowadays you can guarantee he’s getting it with a side of extra bases. While there have been some nights where J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts have been a bit quiet, Raffy continues to make noise.

Through the first two months of the season, he owns a .278/.352/.602/.954 with 14 dingers and an MLB leading 43 RBI. Let me just say that again, AN MLB LEADING 43 RBI. I wrote about Devers yesterday after his heroics in the Braves come back and it’s hard to ignore what he’s doing. With the numbers as clear as day he’s one of the best offensive third basemen in the game today and it’s a sight to see.

We’re seeing him continue to mature there are still some gaps in his game. At the dish, I rarely worry about him beyond the penchant for a whiff, which is at 26.6% so far in 2021. We’re ten games behind where he finished in 2020 and he’s under 0.5% from his rate last year. If the Red Sox are to climb back atop the AL East and fight into October they’ll need him to not just continue raking but show more patience and get that number down.

He’s one of Alex Cora’s biggest weapons and is proving to be a game-changer for Boston.

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