Rafael Devers Addresses Red Sox First Base Strife

The Rafael Devers trade was the burning of a bridge that both parties set fire to. Boston Red Sox management made no secret of the fact that they felt disrespected by Devers’ attitude; but apparently, the feeling was mutual.

In the dugout of his new Oracle Park home, Devers fielded questions he had already heard for most of the week. However, when asked about his sudden willingness to play first base in San Francisco after he abruptly declined in Boston, Devers had this to say: 

“I would say that I put some good numbers up in Boston and I think that I do feel that I have earned some respect. If they would have asked me at the beginning of spring training, yes, I would have played.”

Of course, the Red Sox weren’t anticipating Triston Casas to be lost for the year. Asking him to play first base before the Casas injury is a bit of a moot point for Devers. But the overarching theme here is respect, which Devers suggested he earned with his talent for hitting.

Indeed, Devers has been a consistently productive hitter, hitting in the neighborhood of 30 home runs a year while still posting solid batting averages. However, his glove has been abysmal at third base, recording -6 outs above average there last season - though it wasn’t his worst performance.