Rafael Devers arguably has been the Boston Red Sox MVP in 2019, but the young third baseman entered Wednesday night's game in the midst of a rare slump.
Devers was on an 0-for-15 skid at the plate before deciding to go to his longest-tenured teammate, Dustin Pedroia, for some tips. The Red Sox Stats Twitter account posted a clip of the exchange, which you can watch below:
The 22-year-old told Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic about the simple piece of advice Pedroia gave to help him return to form.
“I just asked for a few pointers in terms of my swing,” Devers said. “I felt like I’m not used to struggling as much and he just said that I’m trying to lift the ball too much and that I should just attack it down and that’s when I was able to adjust in my swing.”
Devers finished Wednesday's 7-4 win over Colorado strong with a triple, single, and home run in his next three at-bats.
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Pedroia probably wouldn't have an issue finding a coaching gig once he decides to move on from his playing career. The 36-year-old has proven to be a helpful guide for both hitters and pitchers, also notably helping Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez revamp his slider earlier this year.
Devers explained just how helpful it is for him to have the 2008 American League MVP in his corner.
“It was a great confidence boost for me, but it was a lot of credit to him,” Devers said. “He helped me and he’s a legend in the game. He knows so much when it comes to that side of the ball. So learning from him and just asking those question and him being able to answer what I needed was great for me.”
The last couple of years have been rough for Pedroia, who's played in only nine big-league games over the last two seasons, but there's no doubting the value of his presence in the clubhouse.
After getting back on track on Wednesday night, Devers holds a slash line of .326/.375/.589 with 28 home runs and 104 RBI.
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