Rafael Devers is proving to not be a team player.

Devers, the Boston Red Sox’s most expensive player and best hitter, has been vocal in expressing his unhappiness with moving off of third base, where he was a subpar defender, this offseason.

When the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman for third base in the offseason, Devers moved to designated hitter. And when first baseman Triston Casas suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier in May, Devers was asked to play first, a switch that would better fit the roster construction. His response? Not interested.

That selfish attitude has incited backlash, including on ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight” podcast that aired Monday.

Buster Olney, MLB reporter: “Are all of you surprised that Rafael Devers, hasn’t to this point, basically said ‘Yes, I’ll play first base for the Red Sox?”

Eduardo Pérez, MLB analyst and ex-player: “Yes. That’s unbelievable right there. It shows the lack of a teammate and leadership on his part. He’s got a lot of growing up to do as a teammate.”

David Cone, MLB analyst and ex-Yankees and Mets pitcher: “This will not end well for him.”

Broadcaster Karl Ravech: “Shocked.”

“They came to me and talked to me about it,” Devers said after homering and driving in two in Boston’s 5-0 win over Texas on May 9.

“I know I’m a ballplayer, but at the same time, they can’t expect me to play every single position out there. In spring training, they talked to me and basically told me to put away my glove. I wasn’t going to play another position other than DH. Right now, I don’t think it would be an appropriate decision by them to ask me to play another position.”

Devers, who signed a $311 million, 11-year deal to stay with Boston in January 2021, said he spoke with Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow about the prospect of playing first in Casas’ absence.

For now, Boston is filling the first base spot with a platoon featuring Romy Gonzalez and Abraham Toro.

“He (Breslow) played ball. I would like to think that he knows that changing positions isn’t easy,” Devers said through Red Sox interpreter Daveson Perez.

“They put me in this situation. They told me they didn’t want me to play any other positions.”

Red Sox owner John Henry, team president Sam Kennedy and Breslow flew to Kansas City on Friday to meet with Devers and manager Alex Cora.

“(Where he plays) is kind of secondary, I think, to the other conversations,” said Breslow. “That decision was never going to be made on a couch in an office in Kansas City.”

Cora said it would be an ongoing discussion with Devers, who has remained at designated hitter.

“Obviously, having everybody here and in the same place, it means a lot, not only for us that are on the ground, but the players and to Raffy too,” the manager said. “So I thought it was good.”

When asked if Devers would start taking grounders at first, Cora responded tersely.

“No, that’s not the plan right now. The plan is to keep having conversations,” he said.

Devers is batting .285/.407/.494 with seven home runs and 31 RBIs this season.

Boston is 22-21.

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