How Rafael Devers Mystified Manager Alex Cora In Red Sox Win

Every now and then, Red Sox star Rafael Devers will remind you he’s one of the most gifted hitters in Major League Baseball.

Devers did so Sunday night when Boston wrapped up its weekend series with the rival Yankees in New York. Two innings after breaking a scoreless tie with an opposite-field home run, the 2024 All-Star launched another longball to give the visitors some breathing room in the ninth. It was far from a run-of-the-mill round-tripper, though, as Devers handled a 93 mph fastball that traveled over a foot off the center of the plate and smoked it 423 feet to center field.

Alex Cora has seen Devers do many special things at the plate since he took over as manager in 2018. But even the Red Sox manager was baffled by the third baseman’s second blast in the Bronx.

“The first (homer) was impressive,” Cora told reporters, per MLB.com. “The second one, I saw the replay and I don’t know how you can do that. That pitch is way off the plate and he barreled it.”

Devers and the Red Sox will enjoy an off day Monday before they try to keep it rolling Tuesday when they return to Fenway Park. NESN’s complete coverage of Boston’s series opener against the Oakland Athletics begins at 6 p.m. ET.