Rafael Devers avoids surgery after MRI exam on injured shoulders

BOSTON — The Red Sox received some encouraging news on Rafael Devers. There is no structural damage in the star third baseman’s ailing shoulders.

So even though Devers is now shut down for the season — he went on the injured list on Saturday, with left shoulder soreness the official reason, although he was playing through soreness in both of his shoulders, not just the one — no surgery will be required.

“Obviously, it was good news that it was nothing serious,” Devers said through interpreter Carlos Villoria Benitez after the Red Sox’s 8-1 win over the Twins in Sunday’s twin-bill opener at Fenway Park.

“I just need to get ready for next year.”

The prescription for Devers is rest, with the hope that he will be back at full strength come the 2025 season.

“[We just need to] stay away from him,” manager Alex Cora said before Sunday’s doubleheader. “We think rest will do the work. There’s no structural damage, there’s no type of surgery or anything. It’s just rest.”

Devers’ MRI exam on Saturday afternoon, which prompted the team to place him on the IL, ending his season with a week to go, revealed only inflammation, Cora confirmed on Sunday.

“Obviously, there’s stuff that he needs to do in the offseason to get back to normal,” Cora said. “But at least that’s good news.”

Devers will remain with the team for now — the Red Sox have eight games remaining in the regular season, and entered Sunday on the outside looking in in the American League Wild Card race — before returning home to the Dominican Republic for the offseason, where the Red Sox will set him up with a rehab program.

“I believe I’m going to be at full strength for Spring Training,” Devers said.

Devers was an All-Star in 2024 and carried Boston’s offense for much of the season before his shoulder issues began affecting him too much. Even with his injuries, Devers played 138 games and batted .272 with 28 home runs, 83 RBIs and an .870 OPS.

“I think it was a regular season for me,” Devers said of his numbers. “I’m not a Superman or anything like that, so those numbers are going to be there. But for me, I feel like with the numbers — I did my best to help the team win, but the numbers weren’t too bad or too great. They were just OK.”

The left shoulder problem, which Cora said can be traced all the way back to Spring Training, was the bigger concern because of how it affected Devers’ hitting. Cora pointed to Devers’ obvious loss of bat speed, which dropped significantly over the last two months.

“[It affected me] a lot,” Devers said. “Because it never stopped hurting me. I never felt like myself this year.”

That’s why the left shoulder triggered his shutdown even more than his right shoulder, which affected Devers more in the field.

“It’s something I’ve been dealing with the whole year,” Devers said. “Obviously, I was trying to play through it. We were in a good position. But at the end of the day, it was the manager’s decision to put me on the IL, and I agree with him.”

Devers injured his right shoulder while diving at third base in July and ultimately hampered his ability to make throws from the hot corner, all while he continued to deal with the effects of the left shoulder injury.

“The left one is the one that really bothers him, as far as the swing,” Cora said. “You saw the swing. He battled through it. It’s been on and off. But he was cutting himself off, the bat speed was down, and I think this is the smart thing to do.”

Devers stayed on the field as long as he could. Cora talked about that on Saturday, how Devers wants to set an example for the Red Sox by playing every day.

“I always try to go out there and give 100%,” Devers said. “Sometimes your body doesn’t let you give 100%. But for me, I’m trying to go out there every day to compete.”

Now that his season is over, Devers is looking ahead to 2025.

“These things happen. It’s part of the game. It’s happened to many other baseball players,” Devers said. “I’m not frustrated, I’m just a little bit disappointed. But at the same time, you’ve got to deal with it.”