When you had simply watched Rafael Devers swing his baseball bat for the primary half of September, you’ll’ve by no means recognized he was injured.
He was on an absolute red-hot tear, the type that makes the San Francisco Giants look good for having traded for him final season from the Boston Pink Sox.
Devers’ bat was by no means actually in query, and it’s clear he’s nonetheless one of many planet’s greatest hitters.
It’s much more spectacular whenever you study that Devers was hurting the entire time.
Rafael Devers Damage
The Giants positioned Devers on the 60-day injured checklist on Sept. 13 with a core muscle harm.
San Francisco famous that Devers had handled the harm for a lot of the season and easily needed to maintain enjoying.
Wow. The Giants have positioned Rafael Devers was positioned on the 60-day IL with a core muscle harm.
Giants say he’s managed this difficulty for a lot of the season and selected to maintain enjoying by it. He’ll go to Dr. William Meyers in Philadelphia on Monday for additional analysis.
— Justice delos Santos (@justdelossantos) September 13, 2026
That makes Devers’ red-hot end much more extraordinary.
In his final 18 video games of the season, Devers blasted 11 house runs and had a 1.403 OPS.
The dude’s core was injured — and the core is kind of vital to hitting — and he simply stored slugging anyway.
Gamers aren’t presupposed to be on hearth proper earlier than they get shut down for the season, however Devers couldn’t have been a lot hotter:
oftentimes gamers’ manufacturing tails off in the event that they battle by harm
Rafael Devers hit .377/.476/.928 (1.403 OPS) with 11 HR over his ultimate 18 video games earlier than out of the blue being sidelined with a season-ending core difficulty that may require surgical procedure
ridiculouspic.twitter.com/tQn04oe5ci https://t.co/qBXkdvlmGf
— Céspedes Household BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) September 14, 2026
Rafael Devers Exhibits True Colours
The opposite piece of this Devers information that feels so notable is that it flies within the face of most of the beliefs about him which have emerged within the final year-plus.
Yeah, he did make it tough on the Pink Sox as soon as they acquired Alex Bregman to play third base. It’s in all probability not a scenario that was dealt with completely by everybody, however it additionally coloured an impression of Devers as a man who’s a tricky match for a roster.
The truth has at all times appeared since Devers arrived as a baby-faced slugger that he simply needed to hit, hit and hit some extra — and that’s one thing he does higher than virtually anybody on the planet.
The Giants’ season was lengthy since a goner. Devers might’ve shut it down each time. He selected to maintain enjoying, and preserve shining, not as a result of something was on the road however as a result of he needed to play nicely for himself and his teammates and the followers.
Devers’ contract means he has a protracted future nonetheless to return in San Francisco. This stretch suggests he’s up for the problem of no matter comes subsequent with this franchise.
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