How Much Will Rafael Devers Be Effected By Shift Ban In 2023?

Could Rafael Devers be even better with the new rules?

Scott Neville | Sep 24, 2022

How Much Will Rafael Devers Be Effected By Shift Ban In 2023? /

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Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers already is one of the most productive hitters in Major League Baseball. Now opposing defenses will be even more hopeless in 2023.

MLB recently announced a trio of changes coming to the league for the 2023 season: a pitch clock, shift restrictions and bigger bases.

While the extra few inches of the bag could aid Devers to leg out an extra single or two, it's clear that the upcoming shift restrictions will have the biggest impact on his game.

Devers was shifted against more than any of the regulars in the Red Sox lineup this season, at a 55.9% clip. Dictating how opponents have to defend Devers will make him even stronger. The point is especially enforced with a quick glance at his ground ball spray chart.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers' Spray Chart — Graph Via FanGraphs

Devers has peppered the ball to the pull side all season and should have much better luck that way next season. The slugger's power should remain the same but his average could see a noticeable spike.

Entering Wednesday, Devers hit .292 with 67 extra-base hits including 27 home runs, 84 RBIs and an .881 OPS in 128 games. It's scary to think how much better he could be next season against straight-up defenses.

More MLB: Chaim Bloom Explains Why He'd Sign Rafael Devers Over Mookie Betts

Published Sep 24, 2022

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu