Rafael Devers

Rafael Devers knocks an RBI double to left field, extending the Red Sox's lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the 3rd inning

PITTSBURGH - It took the 2022 Texas Rangers until July 2 to score 329 runs. The 2023 Rangers got there on May 29.Sitting atop the American League West, the surprising Rangers are battling the Tampa Bay Rays for the most runs scored in MLB (more than 30 clear of the third-place Los Angeles Dodgers). The Rangers ranked 12th in the majors last season and 28th in 2021 before they not only signed Marcus Semien and Corey Seager but overhauled their hitting staff. With the help of some outstanding pitching, Texas now owns the best run differential in the majors at plus-128.This year-over-year surge is happening without much turnover in the lineup; seven of Texas' nine regular position players carried over from last season. Of the 11 Rangers with the most plate appearances this season, nine are enjoying career-best performances by weighted runs created plus (wRC+). And through just the first 50 games of the season, the Rangers put up 322 runs, which is tied for the 18th-highest total since 1901.What on earth is going on in Texas?Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who brings a rare perspective, believes the answer is deceptively simple.Lowe was the most notable Rangers breakout last season, the first year with the new hitting staff. He was also acquired from Tampa Bay, which is regarded as one of the top developmental organizations in the majors. His brother, Josh, is enjoying his own breakout with the Rays this season.At his locker in PNC Park's visiting clubhouse last week, Nathaniel didn't hesitate to formulate an answer."Happy players. I'm telling you, man. When you get players happy together, I think you are going to find the best performance," he said.Happy players want to show up, want to work, and want to share ideas, and they're fully invested in getting better, Lowe said. Michael Zagaris / Getty ImagesIt's impossible to quantify what good clubhouse vibes mean to on-field production, but first-year Rangers manager Bruce Bochy believes they do matter, and he has three World Series rings on his managerial resume."You want to create an environment that is going to bring out the best in the players," Bochy said. "Have them comfortable. Have them play with freedom, freedom that you need to play with to be the best that you can be. Not feeling pressure or anything. It's a culture you want to have."How do you create an environment where players want to come to work, where they aren't afraid to fail, where they can intently focus on improvement, and where they'll maximize the available resources? It takes a few elements, and Texas has put them in place.The right kind of veterans The humidity of summer was creeping in last Wednesday morning at PNC Park. The Rangers and Pirates had completed the second game of their series the night earlier and faced a tight turnaround for a 12:35 p.m. start on getaway day.That often means an off day for veteran players. But Semien was in the lineup, as he almost always is. About an hour before the first pitch, he was taking ground balls on the infield, going through each aspect of his routine."I always think about it as if I was an NBA player. Would I go out there and not shoot around? I think most NBA players shoot around," Semien said. Semien and Seager are not vocal leaders. The pregame visiting clubhouse in Pittsburgh was calm, relaxed, and quiet by MLB standards. They lead by example rather than coercion.What both players are is routine-oriented and focused, said fellow veteran Brad Miller, who's in his 11th year in the majors."These guys are robots," Miller said. "That's why Marcus Semien is a great leader in my eyes, because of what he does every single day. I wish you could see this guy (behind the scenes). He is a machine. For instance, I know where Marcus is at all times because he does the same thing every day. Same with Corey. I know exactly what he is doing."Miller recites some of Semien's schedule: The first thing he does when he arrives is take his supplements and eat a well-balanced meal in the clubhouse."He's not eating bullshit," Miller said. Mitchell Leff / Getty ImagesThen he goes to the indoor batting cage. He does the same muscle activation regimen every day, Miller said.After that, Semien takes his ground balls and does "game prep," which includes going over scouting material."Then he has his coffee a half-hour before the game," Miller said. "And after the game, win or lose, he's going to the weight room for his postgame (routine)."To Semien, leadership is about setting an example, not impassioned speeches. It's about consistency. He doesn't tell younger players what to do. He shows them."I was never that guy just blessed with talent to show up and do well," Semien said.He entered play Tuesday, in his age-32 season, with a 136 wRC+. That's very close to his career best with Oakland in 2019 and a shade higher than 2021 with Toronto, when he finished third in American League MVP voting.As for Seager, Miller said you'll see him carrying around a tripod every day prior to games. He records every practice swing and watches them.Sure enough, Seager later appeared in the clubhouse toting his tripod. He carried it to the indoor batting cage with an iPhone and later sat by himself in the tunnel to the visiting dugout, watching swings on his phone with the tripod nearby.Rangers second-year third baseman Josh Jung owns a 130 wRC+ and has already mashed 11 homers after struggling in his first 102 plate appearances last year, when he posted an 81 wRC+. Ron Jenkins / Getty ImagesHe said that watching Seager has taught him to work more efficiently."Seager's attention to detail is the biggest thing," Jung said. "Just the intentionality I think that makes him who he is. "When I get in the cage now, it's not about quantity, it's about the quality. It's about being super intentional. I've definitely taken each swing with full intent, not just going through the motions. That's really helping me."Two winters ago, the free-agency signings of Semien and Seager were widely viewed as a first but totally insufficient step to help the Rangers catch up with the Houston Astros in the AL West. A couple of stars can only take a team so far in baseball. But the value of the right veterans' influence on the rest of the clubhouse was perhaps underestimated. The Rangers lead the Astros by three games."The younger guys see a guy like Marcus and go, 'OK, this guy is an All-Star, a franchise player. OK, I want to do what he does,'" Miller said. "I think leadership, in general, is actions."FlexibilityHow do you create an environment where players are excited to show up and give great effort? A happy and motivated clubhouse? Having a Semien and a Seager is a good start.But Lowe says the right coaches might be the most important element."I think flexibility is the best for that," Lowe said. "Because you have to have coaches that are fine working for you instead of saying, 'This is the only way to do it. Here is how we are going to do it.' We have an even mix of players: some who might want more analytics, some guys who might want more swing cues. ... The staff has done a great job of allowing us to find out what does work, and doesn't work, and get the most out of ourselves." Ron Jenkins / Getty ImagesThe Rangers revamped their hitting staff after the 2021 season, bringing in Tim Hyers as hitting coach and adding Donnie Ecker as "offensive coordinator."In Tampa, and in his first year in Texas, Lowe hit the ball extremely hard - but too often, he also hit it into the ground. The point of contact - that is, where the bat met the ball - was "Deep," Lowe interjects, knowing where the question was going. "Contact point is the most important thing for me," he said. "If I can get the ball out in front, then I'm going to do my damage."While Hyers does have foundational beliefs, formed from interacting with scores of quality hitting minds over the years - including in Boston, where he helped Mookie Betts and Rafael Devers develop - he believes individualized instruction is key.Lowe appreciates that Hyers and Ecker listen more than they dictate. They hear what the players have to say first and work from there. "We're not trying to cookie-cut swings," Hyers said.And Lowe didn't need an overhaul."He has incredible hands. His body moves in a unique way," Hyers said. "How can we get his hands in flow with his body? When that's happening, he's really good."Nathaniel Lowe celebrates a home run with Tim Hyers, right, and manager Bruce Bochy. Ben Ludeman / Getty ImagesThe biggest adjustment had nothing to do with Lowe's physical swing: It was his mindset. He was trying to hit too many pitches, cover too much of the plate, especially when ahead in the count.Consider pitches he swung at when ahead of the count in 2021 versus since the start of 2022. Where he swings now is more concentrated, more focused, in comparison to 2021."I think there were definitely periods where I was trying to do too much with pitches that shouldn't be hit out of the park," Lowe said. "I feel like when things really started rolling for me last year, I did my damage where I was supposed to do my damage."A good contact point comes from a good plan. You have to understand where you want the ball, in a good count, to do your damage."Lowe was last season's great development story in Texas. Adolis Garcia is this year's big story and one of the best breakout stories in baseball.GamifyPlayers unhappy with their organization probably wouldn't skip a World Baseball Classic invitation to participate in regular spring training.Garcia declined such an invite from Cuba. He didn't want to miss multiple weeks of spring training, and he thought the Rangers could help him get better.That's a happy player - or at least a motivated one who believes in the support staff and players around him.The Rangers didn't do much to change the swing of the majors' RBI leader (49). After all, when Garcia made contact, it was about loud as anyone not named Aaron Judge. He ranked in the 92nd percentile in average exit velocity last year.Hyers said they did work on shortening his bat path slightly this spring, but the big change was being more selective. Richard Rodriguez / Getty ImagesFor years, plate discipline was considered impossible to teach. That was one of the tenets of the book "Moneyball" (recall how frustrated Billy Beane was with Miguel Tejada's approach). But that idea is changing.The Rangers boast the fourth-greatest reduction in out-of-zone swings this year (minus-3.8%), trailing only the Reds, Tigers, and Pirates. This year, Garcia's lowered his out-of-zone swing rate by 10 percentage points - the second-best mark in baseball, behind only Luis Robert."His focus coming into spring training was to swing at his pitch more often," Hyers said. "'Pitchers know they can get me to chase in certain areas. You know what? I'm not going to let them do it.'"Garcia's goal was to lay off sliders that start at the outside corner and break away and fastballs above the zone.But how do you teach a skill that's been dismissed as impossible to learn? It takes new methods.Ecker was part of a Giants coaching staff that tried to make practice more game-like in 2021. Around the same time, Hyers was having Red Sox hitters face more high-velocity pitches and breaking balls in practice before games.This spring in Arizona, the hitting staff tested Garcia's swing decisions off high-velocity and spin pitch machines. Could he lay off the balls outside the zone and attack those inside the zone?"A little more selective aggressive, not passive," Hyers said. "I give him all the credit. He bought into it. Kinda gave him a plan. We started in spring training. If you look at spring training, the numbers were really good."What they did is gamify practice. It's not necessarily fun for all players, but it does create an environment that is more stimulating and that promotes growth."We call it 'game training,'" Hyers said. "Throwing some multiple (pitch) shapes at him. Challenging him at practice. And if you do that, it's going to show up at game time."Would Garcia have embraced these new methods on another team? Would the training even have been available to him? It's tough to know, but the results suggest the work has paid off. Tom Pennington / Getty ImagesPlayers don't always love having their flaws exposed in intense practice. But in Texas, players are learning not to be afraid to fail in the cage or in game situations.Miller credits Bochy for fostering an environment where there's little fear."As a player, you are always told to be the same guy every day. Boch is the same guy every day," Miller said. "We've had stretches where we don't play well, where we let a game get out of hand. Bochy will come in and say, 'OK, boys. Let's get them tomorrow.' He practices what he preaches. The second a manager panics, the players are going to panic. He's very steady."Younger players aren't the only ones embracing new training tools and game-like preparation.Semien said the Rangers have every developmental tool a player could want at Globe Life Field, and they bring some of the tools and gadgets on the road, too.Semien likes to hit foam balls spit out of machines at high velocity to prepare for games."You're not jamming your thumb, you're not hurting your hand (with foam balls)," Semien said. "I would never do that early in my career (hitting regular balls out of high-velocity machines). . That's one thing I do every day. I want to make sure I'm ready to hit anyone's best fastball. Teams who hit fastballs the best and take chase pitches are going to be successful. That's what we are striving to do."To illustrate just how well the Rangers' hitters are executing, consider what they did against Spencer Strider last week. Texas put on nine baserunners in five innings against Strider, the most of any team this season, and scored four times - also a rare feat.Garcia homered twice off Strider, the first player to accomplish that in a game. Adolis has hit 2 HRs off Spencer Strider pic.twitter.com/LYYKM7OPvS Texas Rangers Insider (@RangersInsiders) May 18, 2023 Before the game, Hyers had the Rangers hit off of the high-velocity machine with pitches up in the zone. They tried as best they could to mimic the rise effect and Strider's unusually low release point, too."Everything is based off the fastball," Hyers said. "Understanding the different movement profiles of the fastball. We have technology now where we can train against it before we play against it. We've never had that before, so I think that's one of the bigger things."I wish I knew about fastball characteristics 10 years ago."After ranking 27th in effectiveness against fastballs in 2021, the Rangers rank seventh this season. They've chased the seventh-fewest amount of breaking balls out of the zone."I think you can improve pretty much everything on the offensive side," Hyers said. "I think everyone can improve if there's a will to improve."And there's a will to improve in part because the players have fun when they show up at the office."I think that's what the good ones and good teams do," Hyers said. "They look forward to coming here and preparing and, 'Let's go to battle.'"The Rangers' secret? "Showing up to work and having fun doing it, that's the way the game should be," Bochy said. "This game is meant to have fun."Travis Sawchik is theScore's senior baseball writer.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to the fourth edition of theScore's MLB Power Rankings for the 2023 season. The last edition ran May 15, while the next edition will be published June 12. 1. Tampa Bay Rays Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 39-16 7-3 +120 1 (-) Much has already been made of offensive contributions from Wander Franco, Yandy Diaz, Randy Arozarena, and others in the lineup. But the return of Tyler Glasnow is giving the Rays a jolt to their pitching this time around. The flamethrowing righty faced a tough opening assignment against the Dodgers, allowing three runs on five hits and one walk over 4 1/3 innings, but he also struck out eight. The Rays, who are without Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen, might need Glasnow to stabilize the rotation a bit.2. Texas Rangers Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 33-19 7-3 +123 4 (+2) The Rangers might be a problem, surprisingly boasting an MLB-best plus-123 run differential. They got Corey Seager back earlier this month, who's since provided three homers and 15 RBIs over 10 games. But they were ticking right along without the superstar shortstop, ranking second in runs scored and fourth in runs allowed. Perhaps most surprising is the pitching strength without Jacob deGrom, thanks to surprise Cy Young contender Nathan Eovaldi and a massive breakout from Jon Gray.3. Houston Astros Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 31-21 8-2 +53 8 (+5) Here come the Astros. The defending champs have taken advantage of a soft schedule to claim victories in 14 of their last 17 games. Jose Altuve's return has sparked the club, with the second baseman hitting .370/.452/.593 in seven games since coming off the IL. The pitching staff has also been excellent, posting an MLB-best 3.09 ERA in May. If that weren't enough, even Jose Abreu picked up his first home run with Houston on Sunday, snapping a drought of 283 plate appearances.4. Los Angeles Dodgers Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 32-22 4-6 +50 2 (-2) Freddie Freeman never left, but man, is he back. The first baseman is hitting .382/.449/.706 with five homers and 23 RBIs in May and looks like he could easily stay in the NL MVP conversation all year. Combine that with Mookie Betts and Will Smith continuing to be excellent and rookie Miguel Vargas really starting to make a name for himself, and it's really no wonder why the once-juggernaut Dodgers are starting to put some distance between themselves and the rest of the NL West. Mitchell Layton / Getty Images Sport / Getty5. Atlanta Braves Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 32-21 5-5 +62 3 (-2) The Braves spent most of the month without two of their top starters in Max Fried and Kyle Wright, but have capably weathered the storm thanks to the emergence of Bryce Elder. The 24-year-old was solid in 54 innings last season (3.17 ERA), but he's been exceptional this campaign, with his 2.01 ERA leading qualified NL starters. He also ranks among the top 10 in his league in FIP, ground-ball percentage, and HR/9.6. Baltimore Orioles Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 34-19 6-4 +34 5 (-1) Veteran right-hander Kyle Gibson is fitting right in with his new team, joining in free agency from the NL pennant-winning Phillies and anointing his Orioles team "one of those juggernauts" last week. Stunningly, he might not be wrong. While there's very little legitimate star power on the team, role players like Anthony Santander, Cedric Mullins, Dean Kremer, and Gibson himself are a huge reason why they have the second-highest winning percentage in MLB.7. New York Yankees Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 32-23 7-3 +27 9 (+2) The Yankees continue winning despite some pretty underwhelming performances lately. Aside from Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo has been the only other reliable hitter of late, hitting .327/.382/.535 with six homers in May. The return of Luis Severino seems very timely, as the rotation has looked pretty lackluster. The righty has given them a jolt with a 1.59 ERA through two starts, but the strikeouts (7.9 K/9) have yet to really come back.8. Seattle Mariners Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 28-25 7-3 +37 12 (+4) There's been a lot of talk about the Mariners' pitching because of Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert, and Bryce Miller, but the offense is finally awake - and it's leading to positive results. Seattle (16-9 in May) ranks fifth in fWAR and ninth in runs scored this month, with Julio Rodriguez hitting .467/.484/.800 over his past seven games. The 2022 AL Rookie of the Year had been mired in a sophomore slump, and he posted a .656 OPS through his first 44 games.9. Boston Red Sox Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 28-25 5-5 +11 11 (+2) Boston's offense has cooled significantly after an incredible start. The team ranks 26th in runs and 25th in OPS over the last 15 days, hitting just 10 home runs. Masataka Yoshida, Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran, and Alex Verdugo - the team's top four hitters by OPS - combined to go 46-for-196 (.235) during this stretch. Adam Duvall is expected to return in the coming weeks, though the team will have to decide how it deals with a potentially crowded outfield. Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images Sport / Getty10. Toronto Blue Jays Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 28-26 3-7 +20 6 (-4) Things are a mess right now in Toronto. The Blue Jays have done themselves no favors, stumbling to a 6-15 record against AL East opponents. That just isn't going to cut it in baseball's toughest division. The Blue Jays are likely going to have to play at close to a 100-win pace for the rest of the season if they want to have any hope of catching the Rays to win the division for the first time since 2015.11. Arizona Diamondbacks Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 30-23 6-4 +11 16 (+5) After losing 110 games two seasons ago, Arizona ranks second in steals, third in batting average, and fourth in runs and slugging percentage in the NL. Combine that with a Cy Young contender in Zac Gallen (2.97 ERA) and a surprisingly good Merrill Kelly (2.83 ERA), and you've got the makings of a postseason contender.12. New York Mets Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 27-27 6-4 -13 14 (+2) The most expensive team in baseball is getting a major offensive boost from its youngest player. Francisco Alvarez, the 21-year-old top prospect, has six home runs, 14 RBIs, and a 1.092 OPS this month. Alvarez hasn't been able to fix some of the pitching woes, though. The Mets own the second-worst ERA (5.19) in MLB in May. Justin Verlander's tenure has gotten off to a rocky start - he allowed 13 runs in 18 innings over his last three outings, while only striking out 10.13. Los Angeles Angels Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 28-26 6-4 +7 17 (+4) After two months, the Angels are holding their own in the AL wild-card race. Yes, that's not quite where a team with Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani is expected to be, but they're also not imploding like they did at this time last year. The Halos might also finally have something resembling a supporting cast for their stars, with outfielder Mickey Moniak and closer Carlos Estevez stepping up big for the team.14. Milwaukee Brewers Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 28-25 4-6 -21 7 (-7) It's been a rough month for the Brew Crew, but they've clung onto top spot in the NL Central despite a scuffling offense that's scored just 86 runs (second-worst in NL) and posted an 80 wRC+ in May. To make matters worse, the team recently placed Willy Adames on the seven-day concussion list after he was struck in the head by a foul ball in the dugout. There's no indication of when he might be ready to play.15. Minnesota Twins Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 27-26 3-7 +42 10 (-5) It's hard to explain the offensive struggles right now in Minnesota. Despite boasting a lineup littered with quality hitters who can hit for power, the Twins rank just 19th in OPS. The rotation has done most of the heavy lifting so far, and the Twins can thank their lucky stars that they reside in the listless AL Central. If they can get on track offensively, Minnesota has a good chance to run away from the rest of the division. Dustin Bradford / Getty Images Sport / Getty16. Philadelphia Phillies Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 25-28 5-5 -38 15 (-1) Bryce Harper's return hasn't been enough to fix the Phillies. Philadelphia is playing under .500 this month despite their star slugger posting a .888 OPS in 23 game since coming back. Pitching has been a problem, but Trea Turner's inability to produce (78 wRC+, 25.5 K% in May) has been such an issue that fans, including his own mother, have been booing him on the regular.17. San Diego Padres Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 24-29 4-6 -5 13 (-4) Juan Soto has quieted the haters. He's been incredible this month, hitting .333/.481/.654 with five homers and even mixing in four stolen bases. The superstar outfielder recaptured his elite eye and formidable plate discipline. Whether that's attributable to Fernando Tatis Jr. rejoining the lineup or just wanting to put on a show in the Bronx, Padres fans won't ask questions. Speaking of Tatis, he's certainly hit the ground running with a team-leading seven homers in May.18. St. Louis Cardinals Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 24-31 5-5 +13 22 (+4) The ascendant Cardinals can thank their lineup entirely for waking up. Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Lars Nootbaar, and Paul DeJong have all been incredible in May, combining for 21 homers, 69 runs, 62 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases. The starting rotation still looks quite bad, ranking 18th in the majors this month with a 4.93 ERA, but they might still be good enough to wind up winning this division thanks to mediocre showings from everyone else in the NL East.19. San Francisco Giants Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 27-26 7-3 -1 24 (+5) The Giants have put together a nice run of late to keep pace in the NL West. Part of that might be thanks to No. 3 prospect Casey Schmitt, who's put up an .812 OPS since being called up on May 9. The Giants, who've won four straight series, are far from a perfect team. But they're also hardly out of it and have enough talent to put a scare into rivals once everyone gets healthy. Eric Espada / Getty Images Sport / Getty20. Miami Marlins Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 28-26 5-5 -41 20 (-) The Marlins have proven to be a scrappy club, showing a knack for winning close games (15-4 in one-run contests). In fact, if the season ended today, they'd be in the playoffs. Luis Arraez and his .376 batting average deserve a lot of the credit for Miami's success, but Jorge Soler has been a man on a mission lately, with an MLB-best 12 homers this month, including a stretch of five straight games with a round-tripper.21. Pittsburgh Pirates Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 26-26 4-6 +10 19 (-2) The Pirates have fallen back to Earth after a torrid start. Offensively, everyone not named Andrew McCutchen or Tucupita Marcano has been bad this month, with the team's OPS dropping from .794 in April to .631 in May. Luckily, the pitching has been p (3.84 ERA, 3.95 FIP) has remained strong, giving the Pirates a fighting chance for a playoff spot in a weak NL Central division.22. Chicago Cubs Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 22-30 3-7 +4 18 (-4) The Cubs have been inconsistent this year, sporting the NL's worst record. Jameson Taillon's struggled, Cody Bellinger's hurt, and top prospect Matt Mervis hasn't made the impact they hoped. And yet, the Cubs are still just 5.5 games back of first place. Such is life in the NL Central.23. Detroit Tigers Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 25-26 6-4 -48 23 (-) After suffering through a bitterly disappointing 2022 campaign, the Tigers have been one of the league's most pleasant surprises to start 2023. Detroit is hovering around the .500 mark and could easily be in contention in the AL Central all season. It'll be interesting to see how the front office navigates the trade deadline and a potential deal for left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez if Detroit is within a few games of a playoff spot in late July. The Tigers aren't necessarily a good team, but they play in the right division.24. Chicago White Sox Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 22-33 6-4 -50 28 (+4) White Sox manager Pedro Grifol is going to have a decision on his hands with Eloy Jimenez returning to the lineup after injury. Jake Burger has been raking as the club's designated hitter and already has a career-high 10 home runs with an .873 OPS over 37 games. Jimenez has primarily lined up at DH this season, making just three appearances in the outfield in 25 games. Grifol might need to shuffle bodies around the infield to ensure Burger, Jimenez, Yoan Moncada, and Gavin Sheets all wind up with regular playing time and at-bats. Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty25. Cleveland Guardians Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 23-29 4-6 -38 21 (-4) Perhaps the most damning thing about the Guardians is that they've managed to hit only 30 homers this year. That's 10 more than Pete Alonso. Rookie Tanner Bibee has been their best starter in May, posting a 3.14 ERA and 3.43 FIP in five outings. Over the same month, Myles Straw, Andres Gimenez, and Josh Bell have been among the worst hitters in MLB, while Cal Quantrill has looked very hittable. It's rough.26. Colorado Rockies Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 24-30 5-5 -49 25 (-1) Offense has always been the Rockies' calling card, but the bats have gone silent at Coors Field this year. Colorado is the NL's worst offensive team, with just two regulars owning an OPS+ above 100. No Rockies hitter has more than seven home runs. If the Rockies, of all teams, aren't hitting, you know things are bad.27. Washington Nationals Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 23-30 5-5 -21 26 (-1) Although the Nationals sit in the basement of the NL East as expected, the play of outfielder Lane Thomas and third baseman Jeimer Candelario are reasons for optimism. Thomas has been able to hit for power while using his speed on the bases. Candelario already has six home runs and 15 doubles after going deep 13 times with 19 doubles across 124 games for the Tigers last season.28. Cincinnati Reds Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 24-29 5-5 -24 27 (-1) The Reds' rebuild is starting to pay dividends at the big-league level. Matt McLain has been stellar over his first 12 big-league contests, sporting a 1.056 OPS with two homers since being called up. Hunter Greene's improvement has continued with each start (2.77 ERA, 21 strikeouts over his last two outings). It's still going to be a long summer in Cincinnati, but it's not all doom and gloom anymore.29. Kansas City Royals Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 16-38 3-7 -76 29 (-) Royals fans are lucky to have Salvador Perez. Though the franchise has fallen on some hard times since winning the World Series in 2015, Perez's consistency and durability behind the plate and in the batter's box endure. The veteran catcher has nine home runs in May and leads the Royals in OPS (.857) this season. It will be fascinating to see if any contenders come calling with interest in Perez as we inch closer to the trade deadline.30. Oakland Athletics Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change) 10-45 0-10 -199 30 (-) We'd say the A's are the movie "Major League" come to life, but not even Jobu can save this team. The A's are on pace for 132 losses, which would be the most in baseball since 1899. Oakland fans deserve better than this.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Devers (calf) will start at third base and bat second in Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Devers is dealing with a left calf injury but hopes to return Sunday, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.