Rafael Devers Battles Lower Back Injury
The San Francisco Giants’ designated hitter, Rafael Devers, is dealing with a lumbar disc injury, which has affected his performance since joining the team. Manager Bob Melvin hopes Devers doesn’t need to go on the injured list, especially considering the upcoming All-Star break. Devers has started taking anti-inflammatory medications to alleviate the symptoms of irritation he is experiencing and is playing despite the injury. He underwent an MRI on Thursday.Acquired last month from the Red Sox, Devers arrived at the first game of the series against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a batting average of .245, with 23 strikeouts, four doubles, a home run and six RBIs in his last 14 games, since June 26. Overall, he was batting .261 with 17 home runs and 67 RBIs. The Giants assumed Devers’ contract when they acquired him on June 15 to bolster their offense, after the hitter expressed his desire not to play first base for Boston. However, upon arriving in the Bay Area, he insisted that he would do anything asked of him to help San Francisco win. Devers, a three-time All-Star, signed a 10-year, $313.5 million contract with the Red Sox in 2023. On Friday, he was included in the lineup as a designated hitter in the third position. He is not yet ready to play in the field, including first base, where he has been doing regular fielding work. “He feels it mainly when running, probably a little at the plate, but not as much as when he runs the bases. I think with rest, hopefully, he’ll be fine. I think he’s been playing with this for a while, basically since he’s been here. It’s the reason he’s not on the field right now,” Melvin explained.“He took some medication and is feeling a little better today. We’ll see how he responds to that. I’m glad we got the MRI to find out what’s going on,” Melvin commented.
Bob Melvin
