AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ASTROS VS RED SOX

October 16, 2021

Rafael Devers

Minute Maid Park

Boston Red Sox

Pregame 2 Press Conference

Q. Rafi, there's been a lot of talk about your right arm and whether that was bothering you. How much better does that feel now? Does it feel better than it did in the last round?

RAFAEL DEVERS: I'm feeling a lot better now. Obviously, with the training staff, with everything that they were able to do to help me feel better out on the field, it feels a lot better than it did in the last round, so I'm fortunate enough to be able to feel better than I did last time.

Q. I know that Xander has been a mentor and a role model for you over your career. What's it been like playing with him and now that you guys have been playing in the playoffs however many times it's been over the course of your career?

RAFAEL DEVERS: He is a special player. He is someone that I've always admired from the moment that I was watching him on TV, and he has been a real important figure in this organization since 2013. And he is not only a mentor to me, but to a lot of players as well on the roster. He is someone that brings everyone together, being able to speak multiple languages and being able to talk to everyone like he does. He is truly special, and one of the best players in the game especially as well, so it's really fun to be able to call him my teammate.

Q. Understanding that it's still a long series, obviously, and Game 1 is important, but is there a sense in the clubhouse that there's urgency to get this game, or do you guys feel like you continue to follow the process that you have all year?

RAFAEL DEVERS: It's just one game. Obviously, we lost the first game against Tampa as well, and we lost our first game in the ALCS in 2018, but we're just going to go out there and compete. And it's a long series, and we know that we have what it takes in order to take a game here, and once we do and if we can, we'll go back home and play games out there where we feel a lot more comfortable as well. We feel good about where we're at right now.