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Red Sox minor lines: Rafael Devers productive, but grounded

Rafael Devers had himself a nice night at the plate, but there's a small red flag for the third baseman worth keeping an eye on.

By Ben Buchanan

Pawtucket W 4-3 (In 14)

Rusney Castillo: 3-7, K
Allen Craig: 0-7, K
Bryce Brentz: 2-6, 3 K
Travis Shaw: 1-5, HR, BB, 2 K
Garin Cecchini: 0-4, 2 BB, K
Deven Marrero: 1-5, BB, K, SB

Heath Hembree: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

It would suck to cut Jackie Bradley Jr.'s opportunity short after so few at bats, even if they are hitless, but if Castillo keeps this up much longer and Shane Victorino maintains his uptick, it's going to come down to Bradley vs. Nava, and it's hard to see Bradley coming out on top given that he can just be quietly sent down.

Portland W 9-4

Carlos Asuaje: 1-3, 2B, 2 BB
Keury De La Cruz: 1-5, 2B, K

Pawtucket's infield is pretty filled up, if not with prospects, then at least with solid depth guys. That might make it hard for Carlos Asuaje to make his way up, but at the moment he seems to have proven himself a match for Portland, particularly if he manages to cut down on the strikeouts in weeks to come.

Salem W 4-0

Sam Travis: 1-4, 2B
Wendell Rijo: 1-4, CS

Kevin McAvoy: 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

These last two games have been exactly what Kevin McAvoy needed. His ERA has always been tiny, mind, but after a horrendous 14:20 K:BB to start the year, McAvoy has struck out 11 and walked just one in his last 13 innings of work. If he keeps that up, the ERA may never even get a chance to regress.

Greenville W 3-1

Rafael Devers: 2-3, 2B, BB, E
Javier Guerra: 1-4, 2B, 2 K

This is more like what we might have hoped for from "post-breakout' Devers. One small note of concern for the young infielder: he's really been pounding the ball into the ground a lot so far this season. He's been one of the heaviest ground ball hitters in Boston's system, with his somewhat limited power production less the result of how hard he might be swinging the bat and more a matter of where the balls go. Hard to hit a homer when the ball touches down in the infield, after all. Too early to really be be worried about it, but a red flag that I keep an eye out for ever since that whole Lars Anderson thing went south.

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