It’s been a week since the regular season kicked off, and there was no sign of Alex Bregman’s signature hits…until Wednesday. Why? On Thursday, Bregman officially announced his arrival in Boston.

In the Red Sox’s 8-4 victory over the Orioles, the third baseman recorded a milestone first in his new uniform—a towering 397-foot home run—just before his Fenway Park debut. But that wasn’t the only thing that made it special. The homer came against all odds, breaking through against a tough opponent that had long been a challenge for him.

An effective, right-handed power bat was at the top of the Red Sox’s winter wish list. They found their answer in Alex Bregman, signing him to a three-year, $120 million contract. But until Thursday afternoon, his impact at the plate had been underwhelming. Bregman entered the series finale against Baltimore, hitting just .231, with all six of his hits being singles, zero RBIs, and zero extra-base hits. But that changed in a flash. In the first inning, Bregman crushed a two-run homer, finally making his presence felt in Boston’s lineup.

And there was more to the story.

“He’s a tough at-bat and have so much respect for him being his teammate,” Bregman said during the post-game press meet. “He is a great dude and a really good competitor.”

Tough? Absolutely. Before Thursday, Bregman was just 1-for-14 against Orioles right-hander Charlie Morton, his former Astros teammate. But this time, the tables turned. Bregman jumped on Morton’s first-pitch sinker (92.1 mph) and sent it soaring into the left-field seats.

For those unfamiliar, Bregman and Morton shared two seasons with the Astros, including a World Series win in 2017. On Thursday, their friendly history turned into a renewed rivalry, one that Bregman finally got the better of.

“He’s gotten me a lot,” Bregman admitted, seemingly excited that he could beat the odds against Morton after 14 at-bats. Now that Bregman is back in his prime, the next stop will be his Fenway Park debut. The home crowd will be more than excited to witness the Bregman show at its best.

But not everything in Boston’s infield has gone as smoothly.

The Red Sox’s DH saga continues 

To make room for Bregman at third base, the Red Sox moved Rafael Devers to designated hitter this offseason. Why not second base? Because top prospect Kristian Campbell earned that spot in spring training.

While Devers’ offensive skills made him a solid DH candidate, the transition has been nothing short of a nightmare. Through five games, Devers is 0-for-19 with 15 strikeouts—more than any other hitter in MLB. His swing is completely out of sync, and right now, he looks nothing like the star slugger Red Sox fans are used to.

It was well publicized how Devers was skeptical about taking the new role and his willingness to stay at 3B. At the beginning of spring training, he openly expressed his displeasure about the possibility of switching positions, and now he is one of the game’s most talked-about figures. Well, for the wrong reasons. Over the past week in the regular season, it is evident that Devers is reeling with some problems. His load is hesitant and unconventional, and his timing is off. His bat is dragging far behind him as his shoulders and hips tug toward the first-base dugout. Is this because of his positional change?

“Maybe I’m thinking too much at the plate —  the pitcher might throw or not. Otherwise, I feel good,” Devers said.

The Red Sox desperately need Devers to find his form, especially before their home opener. In the meantime, at least Bregman’s bat is heating up.

What do you think? Is the positional change hurting Devers’ performance? Let us know your thoughts.