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Boston Red Sox extra bases: Rafael Devers shows Yankees whose daddy

By Tarringo Basile-vaughan

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 30: Rafael Devers #11 of the Boston Red Sox runs ther bases after his first inning grand slam home run against Sonny Gray #55 of the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on June 30, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 30: Rafael Devers #11 of the Boston Red Sox runs ther bases after his first inning grand slam home run against Sonny Gray #55 of the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on June 30, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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The Boston Red Sox got back in the win column with an 11-0 victory at Yankee Stadium behind the offensive explosion of 21-year-old Rafael Devers.

The rivalry is definitely back on.  With the two teams taking turns tasting first place in the AL East, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are expected to be neck and neck heading into the main stretch of the MLB season.

In the second game of the huge three-game series between the two historical rivals, Rafael Devers etched his name in the heated Red Sox-Yankees rivalry with a 5-for-5 night, highlighted by a grand slam that catapulted Boston to an 11-0 romp over the Pin Stripes.

Led by a stellar pitching performance by Chris Sale, the Red Sox didn’t need much offense, but got it instantly in the top of the first.  With the bases loaded, Devers stepped to the plate against Yankees starter Sonny Gray and blasted a grand slam home run into the stands.

The blast not only set the tone, but made history as Devers became the youngest player in the rivalry to hit a grand slam.  It also paved the way to a performance that had Yankees pitchers shaking their head and left fans sitting in the stadium wondering if a new Yankees killer has arrived.

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At least for two games in Yankee Stadium anyway, the 21-year-old Devers has provided a couple big home runs to help win games in the heated battle.  Last season, he hit a clutch improbable game-tying homer off Aroldis Chapman that lead to an extra-innings victory.

And this season, well, the big blast he hit in the first inning will certainly be a memorable one.  It will be memorable not only because of the historical aspect, but because of the kind of night it led to for Devers, who appears to be back on target offensively.

"“You just make adjustments every day,” Devers said following the game, via MLB.  “I’ve been making adjustments since Spring Training.  I just show up at the park, come to work and let the results speak for themselves.”"

After struggling at the plate towards the beginning of the season, Rafael Devers has turned things around.  In his last 14 games, he is hitting .339 with four homers and 14 RBIs.  The 5-for-5 performance Saturday night, headlined by the big grand slam is showing just how the hard work is paying off for the young phenom.

Boston Red Sox are not trading Devers

Rafael Devers clutch hits against the New York Yankees is a pretty good reason in itself not to trade the young third baseman.

With the non-waiver Trade Deadline approaching, there have been rumors about the team possibly trading Devers.  One of those trades involved Baltimore Orioles slugger Manny Machado.

Related Story: Rafael Devers should not be included in any trades

As one of the few valuable assets the Red Sox have due to a depleted minor leagues system, the team’s reluctance to depart with the rising star proved evident on Saturday night.

When Devers is hitting, he is a true value to the team. He certainly hears the rumors, but won’t let it affect how he approaches the game.  In fact, it seemed to have motivated him.

"“Obviously with social media, it’s on there. It’s in your face,” Devers told MassLive.com back in June . “But I don’t think about it at all. At the end of the day, they’re my employer. They can do whatever they want with me. It’s not my job to worry about where I’ll be. It’s their job. So I’m just going to keep doing my job and playing baseball.”"

Next: The 5 greatest Boston Red Sox hitters in franchise history

When Devers was called up last season, he became the offensive bat the team was in search of.  This season, as the MLB Trade Deadline approaches, he is once again proving the Boston Red Sox have to go no further than a player currently on the team for another big bat to add to that of Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez.

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