Every team hopes for a smooth start, but sometimes, early misfires can be the foundation for later excellence. For the Boston Red Sox and their star slugger, Rafael Devers, the 2025 season began under a cloud. After moving from third base to designated hitter to make room for newcomer Alex Bregman, Devers went into a 0-for-16 against the Rangers. Manager Alex Cora had preached patience. After one game, he said, “Hopefully… [he] gets one, hits it, and he can breathe”. That moment finally arrived, silencing doubters and framing a strategic bet that could very well be paying off handsomely.

The turning point came during a tense Sunday matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 6th at Fenway Park. The Red Sox scratched and clawed their way to a 5-4 victory in that game. Most importantly, Rafael Devers broke out of his deep slump (0-for-16 with 12 Ks). He was 1 for 4, hitting his first home run of the season, a solo shot, in the fifth inning that gave Boston a short-lived lead. It was only one hit, but it meant Devers could, indeed, breathe again, with a major contributor on a night where Wilyer Abreu’s eventual walk-off heroics didn’t need to be the only real story.

This performance was a perfect illustration of recent remarks made by former Yankees pitcher and current analyst David Cone. On the Baseball Tonight with Buster Olney podcast, Cone analyzed Alex Bregman’s compatibility with Boston. “Perfectly,” Cone answered without hesitation.

He said that moving Devers off third base for Bregman “not only solidifies their lineup, but it just enhances their defense so much”. Cone admitted Devers was always a “work in progress” on defense. But added, “The minute they made that move and sold Rafael Devers on being a DH, their team got exponentially better.”

Numbers firmly back Cone’s points for defensive upgrade. Devers, even with his powerful bat, floundered at third base throughout his career. He posted a staggering -62 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and 141 errors, both well below the league averages. His .944 fielding percentage is inferior to the league average of .963 for MLB third basemen. Now compare that to Alex Bregman, a 2024 Gold Glover, with +26 Outs Above Average (OAA) since 2017.  And began his Red Sox career error-free through his first eight games. The difference is stark.

From 0-4 to 3-4: the Red Sox’s dramatic resurgence.

Of course, the Bregman-Devers swap wasn’t the only big change for the 2025 Red Sox. The front office also added a frontline starting pitcher, Garrett Crochet. Then they brought in veteran World Series winner Walker Buehler to shore up the rotation. And also signed closing pitcher Aroldis Chapman to add depth to the bullpen’s backend. These moves were designed to plug the major holes from earlier seasons, resulting in a more balanced and imposing roster.

These combined adjustments, after a jarring 0-4 start to the season in which relatively little went right, have triggered a dramatic turnaround. The Red Sox ripped off six consecutive victories, including a sweep of the Cardinals, looking like an entirely different team. During this streak, their team ERA dropped from nearly 5.50 to right around 2.80, and their offense went from scoring an average of just 1.5 runs in the first few games to over ten in the most recent games. This level up indicates the offseason adjustments are clicking effectively.

This impressive rebound masks some continued challenges. All-Star pitcher Tanner Houck has been a mess in his first two starts of the campaign, with an ERA above 6.50. Now, that’s a far cry from his dominant showing in 2024. Moreover, Connor Wong continues to show defensive inconsistencies behind the plate, bringing over some negative metrics from last season. These are weak points that Boston has to fix in order to keep their newfound momentum against better opponents down the line in the season.

Nevertheless, the Red Sox find themselves in a promising position early on. At 6-4, they currently sit second in the competitive AL East behind the Yankees. The upgrades, the integration of Bregman, the defensive stability he offers, and Devers getting back to an offensive rhythm at DH have transformed the outlook on the club. Can this revamped roster keep up that level of play and make a serious push for the postseason? That remains the exciting question for Red Sox Nation.