Red Sox 3B Rafael Devers' Recent Tear is Why He's an MVP-Caliber Talent

If there is any player to pencil in as an MVP-caliber player on a yearly basis, Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers is that player, and his recent four homers in four games tear is a big example why.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers has arguably been the team's best all-around player since the start of the 2019 season.

Twice in that span, he's had 30+ home run, 110+ RBI seasons and in those two years (2019, 2021), he's finished in the Top 12 in AL MVP voting. He's posted an OPS+ of 105 or better in each of those four years, but his 2022 season, so far, has been the best of the bunch by quite the wide margin.

Coming into Thursday's game, Devers was hitting .332/.374/.617 with a .991 OPS, 170 OPS+, 16 home runs, 40 RBI and leads AL in hits (85) and doubles (23).

4 HR and 9 RBI in the last 4 games 🔥@markdero7 breaks down MLB hits leader Rafael Devers and his staggering stats against the fastball.#MLBCentral | @RedSox pic.twitter.com/jXLDOHgrEX

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 16, 2022

Devers is currently on a four-game home run streak, hitting .444 in that time with the aforementioned four homers and nine RBI.

When looking at his advanced statistics this season, they're far and away the best of his career, keeping in mind that this is a 62 game sample size compared to a 162 game season.

With that being said, he's in another stratosphere. His current average exit velocity off the bat is 94.1 MPH, 1.1 MPH higher than his previous career-high. 

Rafael Devers has homered in 4 straight games 💪 pic.twitter.com/nwNsa0EAck

— MLB (@MLB) June 16, 2022

Looking at his expected batting average, slugging and weighted on-base average, those three are all sitting at career highs (.324/.601/.422). 

His hard-hit percentage has gone up nearly 1.5 MPH from last year, sitting at 53.1 percent thus far.

Devers has also cut out strikeouts this season, sitting at a 17.9 percent strikeout rate compared to a 21.5 percent rate in 2021. His career-low strikeout rate happened during his 2019 season, where he struck out only 17 percent of the time.

Let's not forget to talk about his sweet spot percentage, currently 35.3 percent, also the highest of his career to date.

What those advanced stats are showing is that Devers is seeing pitches better than ever before and he's hitting them harder than ever before. He's producing at an impressive clip right now and is one of the main reasons why the Red Sox have found themselves back in the thick of things in the AL East.

This consistency is going to make him one of the most formidable players in the American League and will solidify him as the best third baseman in baseball.