The Red Sox can see a larger window of opportunity as they head into the All-Star break sitting in the third wild-card spot, nine games over .500, and with that in mind third baseman Rafael Devers said health was his top priority as he looked toward the second half of the season.
For that reason, Devers will miss the All-Star Game next week in Arlington, Texas, and instead rest his ailing left shoulder.
“Hopefully, we stay healthy the second half of the season,” Devers said. “I feel like that’s the main thing. If everybody’s healthy, we have the talent and enough talent here to make a great run for the playoff and in the playoffs. So I feel like with this talent that we have here, I feel like the main thing has to be health. If everybody’s healthy, we’re going to be good.”
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With a 50-41 record after Wednesday’s 5-2 loss to the Oakland A’s, the Sox have already exceeded expectations.
“I know the talent that we have in this room,” Devers said. “I know that there’s a lot of analysts that have been talking about everything, but this is a game. We have to show up every day, you have to win the games, and that’s what we’ve been doing in the past few months. So whatever goes on out of here, we don’t really care about that.”
With 21 home runs and 58 RBIs, Devers season has been more than worthy of his third career All-Star nod. He’s anchored the Sox lineup despite dealing with shoulder and knee issues this season, still playing 79 of 91 games.
“It’s been bothering me, but I’m that person [that] I’m not going to be talking about it every single time,” Devers said. “I know what I’m dealing with. I know what I need to do to stay on the field and that’s what I’ve been doing the past few weeks. But I do believe that those three days are going to help me to be in a better position for the second half.”
Sox manager Alex Cora praised Devers for playing through some of his injury issues this season, adding that he’s followed the examples set by past pillars of the clubhouse such as Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Justin Turner.
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“We talk about leadership, right,” Cora said. “And one of the things that you have to do is you’ve got to be able to post and play through injuries. And obviously throughout the years, he’s been taught the right way. Xander, playing through stuff, Mookie, playing through stuff, JT last year playing through stuff.
“So he understands that not all the time you’re going to feel 100 percent. Sometimes 50 percent of Raffy Devers — well most of the time — Raffy Devers at third base is kind of like our best player anyway. So I’m glad that he’s doing it. I’m glad that he’s been smart about it. And, like I said, whenever we have a chance to take care of him, we will, because then in the future, he’s going to take care of us. And right now he’s doing that.”
Mourning a loss
The family of Ted Williams announced Wednesday through the team that Claudia Franc Williams, daughter of the Red Sox Hall of Famer, died last December. She had been the last survivor of Williams’s immediate family.
Claudia Williams, who was born in Vermont in 1971, was survived by her husband Eric Abel and preceded in death by her brother John Henry Williams, who died in 2004.
“We were deeply saddened to learn of Claudia Williams’ passing this past winter,” Sox president Sam Kennedy said in a statement. “Out of respect for the family’s wishes, we have honored their desire to mourn privately until they felt ready to share the news with the public. Claudia was a cherished member of the Red Sox family, known for her deep dedication to preserving her father’s legacy and all of us feel a responsibility to carry on her mission in her absence. Claudia’s commitment and passion were inspiring and she will be profoundly missed by all of us at the Red Sox and all who knew her.”
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In an elegy shared by the team, Abel wrote, “In my heart, and the hearts of every person you ever met, you live on. I am confident that the Red Sox family and Red Sox Nation hold you in the highest regard for carrying the Williams family banner so well. Your legacy remains untarnished, and forever cherished.”
Progress reports
First baseman Triston Casas (left rib strain) took more dry swings pregame . . . Infielder Vaughn Grissom (right hamstring) continued his ramped-up routine of hitting, running and taking grounders. Cora said the team might begin discussing plans for a rehab assignment later in the week . . . Righthanded reliever Chris Martin, who went on the disabled list July 5 with right elbow inflammation, played catch . . . Righthander Liam Hendriks, who had Tommy John surgery last August, threw a bullpen — just fastballs — and Cora called it the beginning of a long process . . . As part of Puerto Rican Heritage Night festivities, the Sox invited the sons of Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente — Roberto Clemente Jr. and Luis Clemente — to throw out the ceremonial first pitch with Alex Cora and Ramón Vázquez.
Julian Benbow can be reached at julian.benbow@globe.com.