Red Sox are in big trouble in ALDS if Rafael Devers is hurt

The Red Sox need a healthy Rafael Devers to beat the Rays

The Boston Red Sox already face a steep challenge against the top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS. The task will be far more difficult if the health of Rafael Devers has been compromised.  According to The Boston Globe’s Michael Silverman and Alex Speier, Devers is dealing with discomfort in his right forearm.

The report indicates that the condition flares up when Devers swings and misses but is not a problem when he makes contact. Clearly, the solution is to make contact and he’ll be fine, right? Easier said that done. Devers went 1-for-4 in a Game 1 loss to the Rays, striking out twice.

Devers stepped to the plate for a pivotal moment with the bases loaded in the eighth inning while the Red Sox trailed by five runs. If ever there was an opportunity for a rally, this was it. Devers swung and missed at three of the four pitches he saw for a deflating strikeout.

It was clear that something was wrong with his swing and it was more than just some questionable plate discipline. Devers was taking some massive cuts that ended with his swing flailing awkwardly as one hand slipped off the bat. He’s been dropping his bat on non-contact swings and there have been some concerning moments where his right arm appeared to be dangling by his side.

Devers has also been wearing a compression sleeve that stretches above and below his elbow since striking out on an awkward swing against Yankees lefty Nestor Cortes last month.

Manager Alex Cora brushed aside questions about the third baseman’s ailing arm by reminding us that not everyone is going to be 100 percent at this stage of the season but it’s not an issue to be alarmed about. Do we believe him? Not based on what we’re seeing when Devers takes his hacks at the plate.

What else is Cora supposed to say though? He’s not going to say anything that might tip off the Rays pitching staff about how to attack Devers. The Red Sox at least need to give the illusion that Devers is a dangerous threat when he steps into the batter’s box.

How much of a threat he will be during this series remains to be seen. Devers is going to grind through it and he’s not the type of make excuses, which makes it difficult to determine how much it’s effecting him.

The report claims it only hurts when he swings and misses. Fine, but what if he comes up empty on his first swing and it flares up. It might not get worse if he connects on the next pitch but will he be able to drive the ball with authority if his forearm is in pain or will it be weak contract?

His only hit in Game 1 was a single to left with a modest 78.8 mph exit velocity, per Baseball Savant. He had one swinging strike in that plate appearance but watched three consecutive balls pass harmlessly by him before connecting for that base hit. Maybe laying off a few pitches gave his forearm time to calm down. Devers flew out to deep center on a rocket hit 104.4 mph in the sixth inning. That came on an 0-2 count but both strikes were looking, so nothing that would bother his forearm leading to that swing.

Devers might very well be capable of blocking out the pain and taking it out on the baseball instead. In Sunday’s regular season finale in Washington, Devers held his right arm extended while flexing his hand in clear discomfort after missing with a hefty swing. The concern faded a few pitches later when Devers crushed a game-winning home run.

It’s unclear how much the injury is holding Devers back but it’s certainly a concern worth monitoring. This lineup was already missing J.D. Martinez in Game 1. While he is on the ALDS roster and there is optimism he’ll return as early as Game 2, there’s reason to wonder if his performance will be limited by his ankle injury. Two star players both grinding through injuries is hardly ideal.

The Red Sox need all the offense they can get against a Rays team that led the league with the best ERA and scored the second-most runs. Trailing by a game in this best-of-five series, the Red Sox need Devers at his best to strike back. If he’s limited by an injury, the Red Sox could find their postseason trip cut short.