The Boston Red Sox shook up the MLB world by trading Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants seemingly out of nowhere. We knew Devers wasn’t thrilled with his situation in Boston, but nobody knew a trade was going down, or even possible. Red Sox fans weren’t happy with Craig Breslow when the deal went down, but most have come around over time as Boston has been among the hottest teams in the sport. Now, the fan base is solely anti Devers after seeing Tuesday’s Giants starting lineup.
Rafael Devers will play first base tonight for the first time in his career, per @ShaynaRubin pic.twitter.com/JE89kmZG0g
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 22, 2025
Yup, you read that right. Devers is playing first base for the Giants, the same position he refused to play when asked by the Red Sox. If the bridge wasn’t burnt already between Devers and Red Sox fans, it certainly feels as if it is now.
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Red Sox fans have right to feel insulted by Rafael Devers’ flexibility with Giants
Part of me does get where Devers was coming from in his Red Sox debacle. The Red Sox told him he was their third baseman, only to then sign Alex Bregman, bumping him from the field entirely. The Red Sox then told him to essentially throw away his glove, only to then ask him to learn a whole new position mid-season. They were asking a lot out of Devers, a player who felt as if he was promised something that the organization went back on.
With that being said, Devers’ refusal to be flexible at all with the Red Sox was always strange. Sure, the Red Sox should’ve communicated better, but they’re the ones who gave him a contract worth $313.5 million. Why couldn’t Devers be more of a team player for the organization that gave him a chance and made him more money than he could’ve possibly imagined?
Red Sox fans perhaps could’ve understood where Devers was coming from had he shown the same lack of flexibility with the Giants, but immediately after the trade went down, he said he was willing to play wherever. What had the Giants done to earn Devers’ flexibility that the Red Sox hadn’t, especially when he isn’t even 100 percent healthy right now?
Again, the Red Sox should’ve communicated better and could’ve handled the situation with Devers better. Still, Devers refusing to be flexible at all with Boston, only to do so with a franchise he’s played for (and struggled with) for just 29 games is frustrating.
With that in mind, it comes as no surprise to see Red Sox fans hoping to see the 28-year-old struggle at first base. Devers failing to learn the position would be icing on the cake for Red Sox fans in a trade that’s aged extremely poorly for the infielder and his new team thus far.
