The Red Sox have officially ended Rafael Devers’ season as of Saturday.
Devers has been placed on the injured list due to left shoulder inflammation, ruling him out for the remainder of the regular season. In his absence, the team has recalled catcher/infielder Mickey Gasper from Triple-A Worcester.
Throughout the season, Devers posted an impressive .272/.354/.516 line with 28 home runs and 83 RBIs over 138 games, despite battling shoulder issues nearly all year. The situation worsened in the final month after he aggravated the injury while diving for a ball against the Colorado Rockies right after the All-Star break.
Gasper, 28, has played in 10 games for Boston this year, making his big league debut, but has yet to record a hit during his latest call-up.
In his last 42 games, Devers struggled, with a line of .205/.295/.329.
“Overall, despite the injuries, he was one of the best hitters—if not the best—in the majors for two and a half months, and it was great to witness,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “I know the defensive stats aren’t great, but he did improve in some areas. I’m disappointed because he’s essentially our offense. He’s the key player, and it’s been tough to watch his performance decline in the last month.”