In an emotional moment that’s tugging at the hearts of fans across the baseball world, the mother of Boston Red Sox star Rafael Devers has broken her silence about the deeply personal challenges her son faced as a child. In a rare and heartfelt public statement, she asked the world not just to judge her son by his performances on the field, but to understand the journey that brought him there.

“Please understand my son,” she said softly during an interview with a Dominican news outlet earlier today. “He didn’t have an easy childhood. There were battles inside of him that no one could see.”

According to his mother, Rafael Devers struggled with serious mental health issues growing up, which affected not only his daily life but also his early ability to develop in sports — particularly football, which he briefly considered before committing fully to baseball. These challenges, she explained, often left him emotionally drained, anxious, and withdrawn, even when his physical talents were beginning to show.

“He loved to play. But some days, he just couldn’t,” she recalled. “There were mornings when he couldn’t even look at his cleats, let alone lace them up. Not because he was lazy or didn’t care. Because his mind wouldn’t let him.”

Devers, now known for his powerful bat and steady demeanor, has never publicly discussed these early struggles in detail. But in light of recent criticisms from some fans and commentators about his “body language” and “lack of fire” during slumps, his mother’s words are painting a far more complex and human picture of the player behind the uniform.

“We apologize if it ever seemed like he wasn’t giving enough,” she added. “But my son did his best. Every single day. We just hope people can understand that.”

The emotional interview quickly began circulating on social media, sparking an outpouring of support from fans, players, and mental health advocates alike. Messages of solidarity flooded in, with many praising Devers’s quiet resilience and calling for more compassion in the way athletes are treated — especially when battling invisible burdens.

Longtime Red Sox teammate Alex Verdugo posted simply on X:
“Raffy is family. Always has been. Proud of him today more than ever.”

Mental health in sports has become an increasingly urgent topic in recent years, with athletes across all disciplines beginning to speak more openly about the pressures and struggles that come with high expectations. In this case, it’s not the superstar speaking — it’s his mother, voicing what many athletes never have the chance to say themselves.

Rafael Devers has always let his bat do the talking. Today, it was his mother’s voice that echoed louder than any home run.

And maybe now, with a little more understanding, the world will see him not just as a Red Sox slugger — but as a fighter who’s been winning battles long before he ever stepped into the batter’s box.