(AP) — Prized Red Sox prospect Rafael Devers is set to make his first big league start, facing ace Felix Hernandez in Seattle. The 20-year-old rookie was called up Monday, with AL East-leading Boston hoping he can fill a hole at third base.
Devers hit .300 with 18 homers and 56 RBIs in 77 games with Double-A Portland, then hit .400 with two homers in just nine games at Triple-A Pawtucket.
Red Sox promoting touted 20-year-old 3B Rafael Devers
DAN GREENSPAN, Associated Press
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Boston Red Sox are calling up third base prospect Rafael Devers after failing to find a better solution on the trade market.
Devers will join the Red Sox in Seattle on Monday and make his major league debut against the Mariners on Tuesday, Boston president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said after a 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.
The Red Sox have gotten little production from third this season. They had hoped for a bounce back from Pablo Sandoval, but they cut bait with Kung Fu Panda by releasing him last week.
FILE – In this Nov. 25, 2014, file photo, then-Boston Red Sox free agent
third baseman Pablo Sandoval, nicknamed Kung Fu Panda, converses
with a person dressed as a panda bear wearing a Red Sox jersey,
overlooking a tarp-covered Fenway Park field in Boston. On Friday, July
14, 2017, the Red Sox announced that Sandoval had been designated for
assignment after being activated from the 10-day disabled list. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia, File)
Dombrowski says Boston explored a trade to upgrade the position, but Devers “gives us as good a chance as anybody that we’ve had a chance to acquire.”
The 20-year-old Devers hit .368 with two home runs and four RBIs in 10 games with Triple-A Pawtucket after batting .300 with 18 homers in 77 games at Double-A Portland.
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