In a shocking move, the Boston Crimson Sox despatched infielder/designated hitter Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.
On a Monday episode of “SportsCenter,” ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan defined why Boston moved on from the 28-year-old slugger.
“[The Red Sox’s model] stated {that a} $250M first baseman/designated hitter who’s going to be below contract via his age 36 season, who has additionally been a malcontent, who has not wished to change positions to first base and assist out this yr, was not the kind of particular person they wished to maintain round,” Passan stated (h/t Bleacher Report’s Zach Bachar).
In free company, the Crimson Sox signed 2024 Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120M deal. Devers moved from third to DH, despite hinting at a trade if Bregman performed on the sizzling nook.
In Could, the crew requested Devers to change positions once more after first baseman Triston Casas suffered a season-ending knee harm, but he refused.
“They advised me that they did not wish to permit me to play another place,” Devers stated, per Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. “And now I believe they need to do their job basically hit the market and search for one other participant [to play first base]. I am unsure why they need me to be the in between, the way in which they’ve me now.”
According to Passan, after the DH made the remark, Crimson Sox proprietor John Henry, president Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow flew to Kansas Metropolis, the place Boston was enjoying the Kansas Metropolis Royals, to fulfill with him.
Regardless of that assembly, Devers did not play at first, creating much more rigidity.
Though Devers was being cussed, buying and selling him is dangerous for the Crimson Sox (37-36). In 9 seasons with Boston, he made three All-Star Video games and gained a World Sequence. By way of his first 73 video games this season, he slashed .272/.401/.504 with 15 homers, tied for fifteenth in baseball.
Nevertheless, the Crimson Sox clearly felt the Devers scenario was a headache and not had the endurance for it.
