Rafael Devers delivered a steady message as he spoke to the media for the first time since being traded from the Boston Red Sox to the San Francisco Giants just five days ago: “The past is in the past.”
The former Red Sox star didn’t offer many details about his departure but made it clear he was ready to move on. However, he did open up slightly when asked why he’s now willing to play first base for the Giants after previously refusing to do so in Boston.
“I think I put up good numbers in Boston,” Devers said through an interpreter. “I feel like I earned some respect. If they had asked me at the beginning of spring training, yes, I would have played [first base].”
Before Friday night’s game against his former team, Devers shared friendly moments with ex-teammates, but his on-field performance fell short, going 0-for-5 in the Giants’ 7-5 loss to the Red Sox. He received a standing ovation in his first at-bat and later hit a deep drive to left-center that was caught by Ceddanne Rafaela.
“I really looked up to him when I was coming up,” Rafaela said. “He’s like a big brother to me. Watching him play is always a pleasure.”
Devers’ exit from Boston followed a rocky stretch in their relationship. It began to unravel after the team signed Alex Bregman, a Gold Glove third baseman, during spring training. The move prompted the Red Sox to ask Devers to shift to designated hitter—a change he initially resisted before eventually agreeing.
The situation worsened when first baseman Triston Casas suffered a season-ending injury, and Boston asked Devers to fill in at first base. He declined, suggesting the front office should find someone else. That led to a meeting in Kansas City with Red Sox leadership, including owner John Henry and president Sam Kennedy, along with manager Alex Cora. But Devers didn’t budge, and the trade to San Francisco soon followed.
Still, he has no regrets. “I put up good numbers over there,” he said. “I always gave my 100%.”
For the Giants, the acquisition of Devers filled a major need in the heart of their lineup after they failed to land a big bat in free agency. In his first three games with San Francisco, he went 3-for-11 with two walks and an RBI as the designated hitter.
Devers has already begun practicing at first base and said he’s open to playing there once he feels comfortable. “It’s not a position you learn overnight,” he noted. “I just have to keep practicing.”
He also shared that he’s feeling happier than he has in years during his early days with the Giants and was glad to reunite with friends from the Red Sox when they arrived in town. “It’s been a hectic few days,” Devers said. “A long week, really. But I saw my friends yesterday, so that made me happy.”
When asked about his relationship with Alex Cora, Devers said he had “nothing good or bad to say,” though he planned to talk with his former manager during the series.
Cora acknowledged that the situation felt “awkward” but saw no need for a deeper conversation. “It’s a trade. It’s baseball. It’s a business,” he said. “These things happen. From my end, I’ve turned the page.”
Devers made his MLB debut at just 20 years old with Boston in 2017, played a key role in their 2018 World Series win, and led the team in RBIs for five straight seasons from 2020 to 2024. He’s also placed in the top 20 in AL MVP voting five times.
For the Giants, who have lacked a consistent power hitter since Barry Bonds last hit 45 home runs in 2004, Devers offers a potential long-term solution. No Giants player has reached 30 home runs in a season since then—a milestone Devers has hit three times.
His trade echoes the departure of another Red Sox star, Mookie Betts, who was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2020 season in a cost-cutting move, just a year after leading Boston to 108 wins and a World Series title.
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