Red Sox Notes: Rafael Devers dealing with minor physical issue, Alex Cora ejected, Roman Anthony finally arrives

Over the weekend during the series finale with the Yankees in the Bronx, ESPN's coverage showed Red Sox designated hitter Rafael Devers slowing down as he was running down to first base.

The slugger hit a ground ball to the right side of the infield during the sixth inning, and it caught the attention of the Red Sox beat writers, who began to speculate that either Devers wasn’t hustling or he was potentially battling an undisclosed injury.

“It wasn’t about hustle,” said Alex Cora. “So let’s leave it at that."

"He plays every day; obviously he’s a DH, and there’s certain things—nothing major—but stuff that we have to pay attention to," added Cora. 

The ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcast showed Devers appear to possibly grimace during the play.

“We talk about it. If he needs a blow, he needs a blow,” Cora said when asked about Devers potentially grimacing. “The next one I told him to go hit it out of the ballpark and jog.”

In his next at-bat, Devers took Cora’s advice and crushed a 393-foot homer that left his bat at 111.2 mph in the ninth inning in the Sox’ 11-7 series win over the Yankees. Cora told reporters after Monday night’s loss to the Rays that was the first time he was aware of Devers dealing with something physically.

Devers told his skipper he was “doing OK.”

“It’s one of those that...he’ll do his thing in the training room,” said Cora. “He keeps it very quiet because he wants to post. Talking to (one of the trainers), nothing major. It’s something that we can actually handle, and he’ll be playing.”

Devers has played in all 68 games this season, and the club can’t afford to lose their best hitter with both Alex Bregman on the IL dealing with a right quad issue and Triston Casas lost for the season.

CORA EJECTED

Cora wasn’t able to see the ending of the Sox’ 10-8 loss to the Rays on Monday night. The Sox skipper was ejected after he argued balls and strikes with the home plate umpire.

With two runners on base with one out, the Red Sox were trailing by two runs. Romy Gonzalez was attempting to cash in with runners in scoring position. He worked a full count against Rays rookie left-hander Ian Seymour.

The southpaw fired a 3-2 fastball that was low off the plate, appearing to be ball four and giving the Sox the bases loaded. Instead, Gonzalez was rung up on strikes, and Cora became enraged. He came sprinting out of the dugout and was ejected immediately. It was the second time he was thrown out of a game this season (May 20).

“It was a ball. That pitch was a ball,” Cora said. “It was down. He was really good, actually, during the day. But it was down.”

After Gonzalez struck out looking on the low call, Ceddanne Rafaela came to the plate, looking to do damage, and ripped a first-pitch liner to end the game.

Cora’s frustration spilled over from the top of the 11th when receiver Zack Kelly had issues with home plate umpire Junior Valentine’s zone.

The Rays loaded the bases against Kelly and were leading by a run following a José Caballero sacrifice fly. Kelly thought he had struck out Rays third baseman Junior Caminero twice.

The Sox right-handed reliever threw a low 2-2 sinker, and as Kelly was walking off the mound headed towards the dugout, Valentine called the pitch a ball. A visibly angry Kelly got back on the mound and fired a 3-2 cutter that landed outside of the zone. The pitch was called a ball, with Kelly showing his displeasure and the Fenway Faithful raining down groans due to the call.

ROMAN ARRIVES

The long-awaited debut of Red Sox top prospect Roman Anthony finally came to fruition on Monday night. The 21-year-old made his Major League debut after the club announced that Gold Glove right fielder Wilyer Abreu was being placed on the injured list with a left oblique issue.

“Just trying to help this team win any way I can,” Anthony said shortly after arriving in Boston. “Same game, [but] I haven't been a part of [this] yet. I'm excited to do that for the first time tonight. But no, it's just more excitement. It's more of knowing that you're ready, just trusting in my ability to go out there and have fun and play with these guys and help the team win.”

There was speculation on Sunday evening that Anthony was told not to travel with the WooSox to Lehigh Valley to take on the IronPigs beginning on Tuesday.

As Anthony was waiting to officially find out if he was heading to Fenway Park, he made two calls to his father, one about maybe heading to Lehigh Valley and then a second one, letting him know that he was going to be a big leaguer.

WooSox manager Chad Tracy walked into the clubhouse and said he had an announcement. He told everyone that Abreu was hurt and headed to the IL and Anthony was headed to Fenway.

“He came out and just said, ‘Hey, you’re going to the big leagues,’” Anthony said on Monday sitting in the Fenway Park dugout. “From there on out, it’s kind of been a little bit of a blur.”

Anthony made the trip to Boston, wearing the home whites with the number 48 on his back, went 0-for-4 with a strikeout, a walk, and an RBI groundout, and made a crucial error in the Sox’ 10-8 loss in 11 innings to the Rays.

“I thought I swung at good pitches, unfortunate some of those balls couldn’t skip up the middle and drive more runs in,” Anthony said. “But felt like I did a good job of putting the bat on the ball and trying to get guys in.”

Red Sox fans have been vocal about their desire for the organization to promote the future superstar. The Sox have been in need of a spark, and the addition of Anthony’s bat might be what the doctor ordered for the slumping lineup. The Red Sox have had top prospects garner national attention for their promotions to the bigs, but nothing like Anthony.

“I think before, it was just more of not really paying too much attention to it and trying to get better,” Anthony said. “When I was in Triple-A, [I spent] every day trying to improve on everything I [could]. That way, when I get here, it's more than ready. But now that I'm here, I think it's just to continue to do that and continue to learn from the guys who are here, who have been in my shoes. Just kind of lean on my teammates, go out and have fun, and try to help the team win.”

Anthony quickly leaned on his teammates, needing to borrow a pair of Marcelo Mayer’s cleats, since his were packed on the bus heading to Lehigh Valley.

With the anticipation mounting, Red Sox fans were finally able to fix their eyes on Anthony at Fenway Park. The Fenway Faithful gave the top prospect a standing ovation as he made his way to the plate for his first Major League at-bat. Anthony looked calm and cool at the plate, flying out to left field in the at-bat. 

He followed that up with a 111.2 rocket off his bat in the fourth. In his third at-bat, he drew a full-count walk in the Sox’ two-run seventh-inning rally. He was left stranded on the bases after Kristian Campbell struck out to end Boston’s rally.

“Good,” Cora said about Anthony’s debut. “Being able to slow it down. The walk, hit the ball hard twice, stayed up the middle, and didn't try to do too much. It was a good first day.”

Anthony was a monster for the WooSox, showing off his thunderous power, which was highlighted on Saturday night. He hit a mammoth 497-foot grand slam in the WooSox’ 10-4 win. His slam flew off his bat at 115.6 mph, soaring out of Polar Park, marking it the longest homer recorded by Statcast at any professional level this season.

“The kid has done an amazing job throughout player development, just getting ready for this moment,” Cora said. “We’re excited. It’s a big day for the organization... It’s not the perfect way of doing it (with Abreu on the IL), but he’s here.”

The top prospect's jaw-dropping blast was the cherry on top of his Triple-A career. In 212 at-bats for Worcester this season, Anthony has a batting line of .288/.423/.491 with 10 homers and 29 RBIs. Defensively, he projects more as a left fielder but made his debut in right field, making a key error in the game that led to more runs for the Rays.

In the top of the fifth, Yandy Diaz ripped a liner on the ground through the right side, and as Anthony was charging the ball, he lifted his glove, watching the ball roll behind him, allowing Brandon Lowe to score.

“Just can't happen,” Anthony said. “... I've dealt with that skip a million times in my career. And it's tough to get in a game like that. You feel like that's the reason why we lost, little things like that.”

Once Abreu is healthy, it’ll be interesting to see what the Sox’ defensive alignment in the outfield will look like. Jarren Duran could move to center field, paving the way for Anthony to play in front of the Green Monster in left, with Abreu in right field. Ceddanne Rafaela could split time in both center field, right field, and the infield, maximizing his athleticism. Veteran Rob Refsnyder can continue to be the club’s lefty specialist, mashing southpaws as needed and pinch-hitting in key spots.

“We'll talk about it,” Cora said. “It's one of those that we’ll make adjustments on the fly, but we’ll play him [in right].”

The day didn’t exactly go to plan for Anthony but the Red Sox season hasn’t exactly gone to play either. Baseball’s No. 1 prospect has finally arrived and he’s in the bigs to maximize his potential.

“It’s something you kind of don’t even really know how it’s supposed to feel,” Anthony said. “It was shocking and it was amazing.”