Alex Cora Drops Cryptic Take On Rafael Devers Baserunning Drama vs Yankees as Health Speculation Looms

You can’t ask for a better night on Sunday! There was drama, home runs, and shattered records, and the Red Sox won unexpectedly. Finally, Boston was ready to celebrate. Imagining that things could go this well with the Red Sox? No, my friend! Once again, Alex Cora and Rafael Devers are in the middle of a drama.

In the middle of the fireworks and clutch hits, Rafael Devers’ single jog in the sixth inning stole the show in a manner that no grand slam could. And suddenly, no one was talking about how wonderfully they performed.

Devers hit a ground ball that rolled to DJ LeMahieu at second base at 68 mph. Devers didn’t sprint too fast since he had a strong chance of beating the throw to first. He took his time. And what should have been a typical hustle play turned into the most talked-about thing of the night, even more than his massive home run in the ninth inning.

What followed? DJ LeMahieu, the Yankees’ 2B, easily picked it up and threw it to Paul Goldschmidt at 1B for the last out of the inning. This left spectators and commentators confused. Were you feeling relaxed at this point? Who can tell exactly what that was? Or is he injured?

Alex Cora was bombarded with questions after the Red Sox beat the Yankees 11-7. The media asked Cora whether Devers’ lack of hustle was the problem. And Cora, being Cora, gave a short, puzzling explanation that made things more interesting. “It was not a lack of hustle.” When asked if Devers was suffering from any health issue, he said, “No. We’ll leave it at that.”

Alex Cora was a bit cryptic about the Devers baserunning play, but added, “It was not a lack of hustle.” He also said he wasn’t aware of any health issues with his DH, but the manager will often protect a player who might be nursing something in situations like that.

— Ian Browne (@IanMBrowne) June 9, 2025

However, Cora isn’t the kind to leave his players hanging, even when he gives short responses. When asked more about the grimace and the chance that Devers would require a break, he answered, “We talk about it. If he needs a blow, he needs a blow. The next one, I told him to go hit it out of the ballpark and jog.”

It was a classic Cora moment: Straight talk, protective leadership, and some mind games.

Devers is the team’s offensive cornerstone, and the Red Sox can’t afford to lose him. Driving runs look like a cakewalk to him. The Red Sox relied on him throughout May. Even though it was a month full of ups and downs for him. Currently, Rafael Devers is hitting .283 with 14 homers, 57 RBIs, and a .929 OPS. These numbers show his importance in the roster, so his chances of getting injured might push back the team.

Rafael Devers blasts into Red Sox history

When everyone was busy discussing his slow walk, he entered the history books.

On Sunday, Rafael Devers showed everyone at Yankee Stadium why he’s a valuable player. In the top of the ninth, the Dominican slugger hit a home run down the right-field line, making Boston’s advantage 10–5. It wasn’t just any home run. It was more of a statement: Devers is deadly when he’s on.

Devers is now the fastest player to hit 30 home runs against the Yankees in just 113 games. This puts him ahead of David Ortiz (125 games) and just behind Manny Ramirez. Isn’t it cool? Rafael Devers is quickly taking the lead in head-to-head slugfest history against New York.

But it’s not just about the numbers. Devers is hitting home runs when it really matters the most. His ability to step up in crucial situations has been an essential component of Boston’s success, particularly given the intense and long-standing animosity between the Yankees and the Red Sox.

The ideal storm is created when rivalries, moments, and history come into contact. Devers’s explosion on Sunday just added another chapter in the intense storyline between the Red Sox and the Yankees. An answer to a million-dollar question that the Yankees and other clubhouses might be looking for. How can they stop a batter who is completely dominating and making history with each swing?

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