Why Rafael Devers briefly played shortstop for the first time since 2019 on Saturday

Red Sox

He didn’t make any errors.

Mookie Betts and Rafael Devers chat during Saturday’s game. Michael Dwyer/AP Photo

When Pablo Reyes left Saturday’s Red Sox-Dodgers game with left elbow pain, manager Alex Cora had no choice but to reshuffle the infield.

He elected to put Luis Urías at third, Connor Wong at second, and, yes, Rafael Devers at shortstop.

Perhaps the most surprising part of the equation was the fact that Urías didn’t play short. He’s appeared in 122 games there throughout his career.

Devers, who made a slick play earlier in the game at third to nab Mookie Betts at first, saw action at short for the first time since 2019. He only played two innings in 2019 – no balls came his way – and hadn’t returned since.

Cora chose to keep Trevor Story at designated hitter. Reese McGuire entered to catch. Devers did his part at short in the sixth, though no balls came his way this time, either.

Then after the Red Sox turned a 4-2 deficit into a 6-4 lead in the sixth, Story entered at short. Devers moved back to third, Urías shuffled back to second, and Wong became the catcher again.

So in a sense, it was like Devers was never really there. But, it did happen, and he didn’t make any errors.

Originally posted 2023-08-26 22:28:34.

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