Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox slugger, speaks in English when he gets mad at plate; 'It's not clean. But he's awesome,' Alex Cora says
Updated Apr 12, 2019; Posted Apr 12, 2019
Red Sox's Rafael Devers points to the team's dugout after hitting a walk-off single against the Blue Jays during the ninth inning Thursday, April 11, 2019, at Fenway Park in Boston. Boston won 7-6. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)AP
By Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
BOSTON — Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Rafael Devers is hard on himself. And the Dominican Republic slugger talks to himself in English when he's mad at himself.
"I laugh with him," Cora said Friday here at Fenway Park. "I'm like, 'How come when you get upset everything comes out in English in the batter's box? He's like, 'What?' I'm like, 'Yeah.' And it's not clean. But he's awesome. I love him."
Devers still uses a translator but he understands English and continues to learn the language. He stroked the game-winning, walkoff single Thursday vs. Toronto.
"It's funny. You see his body language and his reactions sometimes at the plate," Cora said. "He's talking to himself. ... I can't say it now (what he says). But you read his lips and it's like, 'Wow.'"
This should be a big year for Devers whose RBI on Friday marked his first of 2019. Pitchers adjusted to him last season during his first full season in the majors. He needs to adjust to the league this year.
He also needs to be less hard on himself.
"He can make adjustments now," Cora said. "Sometimes it takes him an at-bat or a day. But he understands where he's at and what he needs to do. The game will speed up certain days. I do feel when he makes a mistake defensively, he takes it so hard. He's so hard on himself that it messes up his whole day. Everything speeds up.
"When he's playing well defensively, he slows down," Cora added. "And I think it's the fact that he wants to prove to everybody he's a good defender; that he can play at this level. But when he's clear, it's good. It's cool to see. You go back to what he did in October: the at-bats, the pinch-hit single up the middle on a 2-0 count and the way he slowed down the game. That's the most important thing with him."