Red Sox reportedly viewed Rafael Devers as ‘immature’ and ‘selfish’ prior to trade
Boston Red Sox
“One former Red Sox star threatened to start swinging with Devers still in the cage if he didn’t move.”
Rafael Devers is expected to make his return to Fenway Park on Friday as a member of the San Francisco Giants.
It remains to be seen just how warm the reception will be for the slugging infielder.
Devers made his presence felt across nine seasons in Boston, winning a World Series in 2018 and earning three All-Star nods as a feared hitter in the heart of the Red Sox’ order.
A drama-filled final season with the team in 2025 might have marred some of the warm sentiment shared between Devers and Boston — with tensions over Devers’ move off third base, breakdowns in communication between the team and player, and Devers’ refusal to shift back to the infield following Triston Casas’ injury eventually prompting Boston to deal him to San Francisco.
But, Devers’ refusal to move back to the infield after Casas’ injury and his candid spats with Craig Breslow and Boston’s top baseball brass were apparently not the only things that concerned the franchise before that shocking trade last June.
In a story in The Athletic detailing Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey’s disastrous tenure as an exec, Brittany Ghiroli noted that the Red Sox were “happy to shed” the remainder of the 10-year, $313.5 million contract that they originally signed Devers to January 2023 as part of that deal with the Giants.
According to Ghiroli, there was one pregame routine that Devers didn’t adhere to that rankled his teammates in Boston.
“While he was a three-time All-Star in Boston, some in the organization found Devers immature and selfish,” Ghiroli wrote. “On more than one occasion, Devers became upset when asked to honor the age-old practice of letting veteran players with more service time hit first in the batting cages. One former Red Sox star threatened to start swinging with Devers still in the cage if he didn’t move.”
While the Red Sox might miss some of the assured power generated by Devers’ presence in the lineup, his tenure in the Bay Area hasn’t started off well.
In his first full season with the Giants, Devers is batting .246 with 25 home runs, 69 RBI, and a .796 OPS for a San Francisco franchise that is 51-72 on the year.
The 29-year-old Devers, who has logged reps at first base with the Giants, drew attention in June after he refused to come out of a game for a pinch-runner when manager Tony Vietello called for one in the ninth inning.
Devers eventually relented and walked toward the dugout, avoiding his teammates and coaches — including getting out of the way when bench coach Jayce Tingler tried to pat him on the back.
Devers and the Giants will play the Red Sox for a three-game series from Friday through Sunday.
Devers, speaking to Justice delos Santos of The Mercury News through team interpreter Erwin Higueros, said he isn’t fretting over the type of reception he’ll receive from fans in Boston.
“I really don’t think about it,” Devers said. “I’m not concerned about the reception. I just know that they were very good to me. I’m very happy going back. I haven’t even thought about what the reception’s going to be like, but I just know that the fans were really good to me. I love the fans.”
And if the reception on Friday is cold?
“You know what, I’m used to it,” he added. “I went through it last year. It was new to me. But my whole idea is that we just have to keep moving forward. We have to keep looking straight ahead at what’s going on. Not even dwell on the past; just move on and just see it as a learning experience.”
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