Rafael Devers has no time for walks this spring

TAMPA – From the start of spring training, the Red Sox have urged their hitters to be more aggressive at the plate.

Rafael Devers, it would appear, has taken that to heart.

Entering Friday’s game against the Yankees, Devers had accumulated 44 plate appearances through 15 games – and drawn exactly one walk. And, it should be noted, that one free pass didn’t come until earlier this week.

One.

Even for a team that was guilty last year of being too passive at times and whose rookie manager has made a catch phrase out of “hunting for good pitches,’’ that might be taking things a bit too far.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a concern,’’ said hitting coach Tim Hyers. “But it’s part of his growth. We’re trying to help him see that you have to manage your ABs. He’s going to be on the aggressive side and he’s had some success doing it. But it’s something that, as coaches, we’re trying to remind him that swinging at good pitches is important.

“He’s been a little bit more aggressive than we would like at times. But he’s also capitalized on some first-pitch swings, with some borderline pitches he was seeking and capitalized on it. I think he’s still learning some of the things that he can do at this level – and not do.’’

Even as a rookie, Devers wasn’t exactly patient at the plate last year, working just 18 walks in 240 plate appearances, for a walk rate of 7.5 percent. (Teams generally see 10 percent as the low end of what’s acceptable for a major league hitter).

But one walk every 45 plate appearances translates to about 11 walks per 500 plate appearances, and a walk rate of just over two percent.

Devers, however, wasn’t about to apologize for his lack of walks.

“I feel good the way I’ve been doing it,’’ said Devers. “I’ve always been aggressive my entire career and thankfully, I’ve been able to get the bat on the ball and get balls in play. I just wait for my pitches and I’ve been able to get that pitch and get some hits.’’

Indeed, it should be pointed out that even with just the one walk, Devers has struck out only four times and has an OBP of .349 – thanks to his ability to put the ball in play and generate good plate coverage. So it’s not as if Devers is expanding the strike zone and chasing and missing pitches.

“Taking walks is fine,’’ said Devers. “I just don’t want to lose that aggressive part of my game. What I really like is just to get on base, however, that might be and thankfully, I’ve been able to get more hits this spring.’’

When Theo Epstein was the general manager of the Red Sox, he once said that every team could afford to keep one or two aggressive hitters in the lineup as long as the majority of hitters were more selective.

So, if Devers is the designated aggressive hitter in the Boston lineup this season, so be it.

“I think that’s right,’’ said Hyers. “And he’s so dangerous pitchers are going to realize that if they do make a mistake, he’s going to make you pay. So having the impact he’s can have on the baseball, it’s going to make some pitchers afraid to just kind of lay stuff around the zone. They’re going to nibble on him, so I think he’ll get some walks this way. But we have to keep our eye on it.’’

 

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