5 Red Sox on Thin Ice At Quarter Mark of 2024 Season
By Ryan Bunton
1. Rafael Devers
This one might come down to how you define "thin ice", but quite simply, the Red Sox need better out of their supposed face of the franchise and $30 million man. Devers is the highest-paid player on the team, nearly doubling Kenley Jansen's $16 million, yet he ranks 10th on the team in WAR.
Devers is 86th in the majors in home runs and 153rd in RBI. Often ranking towards the top of the league in the extra base hits category, Devers ranks 91st in that statistic at this point. He is supposed to be a run-producing, middle of the order bat in the Red Sox lineup. He's not providing that right now.
In fairness, Devers' injuries could be hampering his production and sporadically missing games has perhaps prevented him from getting into a rhythm in the box. He has struggled to remain available for Alex Cora, including having to miss the second game of the season with lingering shoulder soreness. The 27-year-old also battled through a bone bruise.
Devers is under contract until his age 37 season in 2033. With massive contracts come massive expectations. He's not in any danger whatsoever of being traded or released, but Boston (and Devers himself) should hold the third baseman to a higher standard. There is plenty of baseball left, let's see if he can step it up.
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