Where Red Sox’s Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts Rank In MLB.com’s MVP Poll
The Boston Red Sox are well represented on the latest American League MVP poll despite their ongoing struggles.
MLB.com put together an MVP poll with its writers and two Red Sox players received well-deserved recognition.
Rafael Devers came in at No. 5 on the list for his incredible season.
“While the Red Sox are in a nosedive, Devers just continues to hit,” MLB.com’s Manny Randhawa wrote Thursday. “Following a red-hot May in which he posted a 1.133 OPS with eight homers, he’s cooled off a bit — but “cooling off” for Devers is still hot, as he hit .300/.327/.660 in July before missing time due to a right hamstring injury. In his return to the lineup Tuesday, he went 2-for-4 with a double and his 23rd home run of the season.”
On the season Devers is hitting .322 with 54 extra-base hits, 59 RBIs and a .980 OPS in 90 games. He finished 2021 with an 11th-place MVP finish and is on track to far exceed that placement in 2022.
While the list stopped at five, Xander Bogaerts is listed in the category of “other players that received votes” along with eight others on impressive campaigns. Bogey is hitting .309 with 37 extra-base hits including nine home runs, 46 RBIs and an .838 OPS in 102 games to go along with improved defensive play in his age 29 season.
The players who superseded the Red Sox power duo were: New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, Los Angeles Angels two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani, Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez and Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez in that respective order.
Devers started at third base over Ramírez at the All-Star Game but the 25-year-old’s aforementioned hamstring injury allowed his peer at the hot corner to surpass him statistically.
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