Hours after homering in the team’s 2-0 win over the New York Yankees, Rafael Devers addressed the media. The last question he was asked before departing the Red Sox clubhouse: Do you feel like all the drama and distractions, all that stuff, is behind you and behind the team?
“Yes, it’s past us,” Devers said, via interpreter Carlos Villoria Benítez.
Those words proved prophetic, but not in a way anyone could have imagined.
In one of the most shocking moves in club history, the Red Sox announced Sunday night that they have traded the star slugger to the San Francisco Giants.
The Red Sox will receive right-hander Jordan Hicks, left-hander Kyle Harrison and minor leaguers James Tibbs and Jose Bello in the deal, which was first reported by FanSided’s Robert Murray. The Red Sox announced that Harrison has been optioned to Triple-A, and left-hander Zach Penrod has been designated for assignment to clear space on the 40-man roster.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Giants will also take on all of Devers’ remaining salary, approximately $254 million through the 2033 season.
The trade marks a shocking conclusion to Devers’ run with the Red Sox, which included a World Series championship in 2018 but was marked by drama and discord towards the end.
Trouble began brewing on the eve of spring training, when Devers addressed the media for the first time. At that point the club had just signed Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman, but when asked if he’d be willing to cede the starting third base spot to his new teammate, Devers emphatically said no.
“Third base is my position,” Devers said via interpreter Daveson Perez.
Eventually the decision was made to move Devers to designated hitter, and while the slugger objected, he ultimately relented. But things took another turn when starting first baseman Triston Casas went down with a season-ending knee injury in early May. In the aftermath of that setback, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow approached Devers and asked if he’d be willing to play first base.
Again, Devers objected, and shortly after he aired his grievances publicly, said he felt the club had gone back on its word.
“In spring training, they talked to me and basically told me to put away my glove, that I wasn’t going to play any other position but DH,” he said. “So right now I just feel like it’s not an appropriate decision by them to ask me to play another position.”
He also issued some pointed comments towards Breslow.
“I’m not certain what he has with me,” Devers said. “He played ball, and I would like to think that he knows that changing positions like that isn’t easy.”
That press conference prompted top Red Sox officials, including principal owner John Henry, to fly to Kansas City to sit down with Devers and clear the air. Throughout all of the drama Devers continued to perform at a high level, but now he and the club will get a fresh start as the Red Sox move forward without the player they not long ago gave the largest contract in franchise history.
Devers will go down as one of the most productive hitters in team history. In nine MLB seasons since debuting in 2017, Devers has batted .279 with 214 home runs, 695 RBI and an .858 OPS. He ranks 10th in club history in home runs and 12th in extra-base hits, becoming one of only a dozen players in franchise history to record 500 with the club.
This season Devers is batting .272 with 15 home runs and 58 RBI, and his 56 walks is the most in MLB. The Red Sox won’t have to wait long before they see their former franchise slugger, however, as Boston is slated to face Devers and the Giants in San Francisco next weekend.
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