Rafael Devers trade has precedent for the Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox made an unexpected trade with the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, trading All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants.

In retrospect, it is a trade that one could see coming. Devers had been upset that the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman, insisting that he was a third baseman and did not want to change positions. He went off on the Red Sox front office when approached about playing first base when Triston Casas was lost for the season. As Devers had hinted that he may seek a trade during spring training, the writing was on the wall.

Meanwhile, according to Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe, the Red Sox did not feel Devers was living up to his contract. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow insisted that the Red Sox intend to contend in 2025, even stating that he felt the Red Sox would win "more games than we otherwise would have" at the end of the season.

A trade to rid the Red Sox of problematic players is nothing new. The Red Sox had collapsed late in 2011, losing a nine-game lead in the wild-card standings to miss the postseason. Pitchers Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and John Lackey had spent that time drinking beer, eating fried chicken and playing video games in the clubhouse during that stretch, calling their motivation and commitment to the team into question.

Questions about Beckett continued into 2012. As the Red Sox struggled to a 69-93 record, Beckett was in the midst of one of his worst seasons. He posted a 5.23 ERA and a 1.327 WHiP in his 127.1 innings in Boston that season. Beckett, along with first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, outfielder Carl Crawford and utility man Nick Punto, were traded to the Dodgers on Aug. 25 as the Red Sox unloaded over $250M worth of contracts.

The Red Sox were able to change the complexion of their roster quickly, winning the World Series in 2013. Although it is too soon to say if trading Devers will have the same impact, the Red Sox were able to remove a player who had become disillusioned with the franchise. 

Likewise, the Red Sox were able to unload the rest of his contract, which is, coincidentally, just over $250M. That money can be used to improve the roster, and may lead to another deep run in the postseason.