Red Sox: Rafael Devers extends home run streak to 4 consecutive games

Rafael Devers powered the Red Sox to victory with another home run

Rafael Devers is in the midst of an impressive power surge that has put him in exclusive company in Boston Red Sox history.

Devers stepped to the plate with a runner on first and two outs in the second inning. Oakland A’s starter James Kaprielian threw him three consecutive changeups, the last of which hung over the plate. Devers made him pay, smashing the ball 387 feet into the bullpen in right field for a two-run homer. The 112.8 mph exit velocity made that home run the hardest hit ball in this game, per Baseball Savant.

The homer put the Red Sox up 3-0 in a game they would end up winning 10-1, which technically made it a game-winner despite that it came so early in a blowout.

Devers has now hit a home run in four consecutive games. He’s up to 16 for the season, tied for fourth in the American League. His 40 RBI ties him for eighth in the league.

This is the second time in his career that Devers has homered in four consecutive games. He smashed five homers over a four game span from April 8-13 last season, which included a two-homer game in Baltimore.

According to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, Devers is the sixth Red Sox player with multiple streaks of 4+ home runs. Ted Williams (6 times), Carl Yastrzemski (3), Jimmie Foxx (3), Jim Rice (2) and Jose Canseco (2) are the only other hitters to homer in four consecutive games multiple times while wearing a Red Sox uniform.

Only four other Red Sox hitters age 25 or younger have homered in four consecutive games. Bobby Dalbec hit a home run in five consecutive games as a rookie in 2020. Jim Rice (1978), Ted Williams (1941) and Babe Ruth (1918) had four-home run streaks before they turned 26 years old. Devers is the only Red Sox player with multiple 4+ homer streaks by that age, per J.P. Long of Sox Notes.

The 25-year-old Devers now has 128 career home runs, passing Teddy Ballgame for the third-most in franchise history by a player at this age. He trails only Tony Conigliaro (160) and Jim Rice (133) for the most home runs by a Red Sox hitter at age 25 or younger.

Devers is riding a five-game hitting streak and he’s collected at least one hit in 12 of his last 13 games. He leads the majors with 85 hits. His .332 batting average ranks fifth in the majors, behind teammates J.D. Martinez (.345) and Xander Bogaerts (.335). This is the first time in franchise history that the Red Sox have had at least three hitters among the five-best batting averages in the majors this late in a season.

The Red Sox have won 11 of their last 13 games. They currently hold the third Wild Card spot and sit only a game and half behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the second Wild Card. This team sputtered out of the gate with a miserable April but an MVP-caliber season from Devers has helped launch the Red Sox back into contention.