Have the Boston Red Sox mishandled the Rafael Devers situation?
Word around Major League Baseball is that Boston’s management could have done a much better job of communicating with Devers in recent days. On the other hand, Devers isn’t completely without blame in the recent drama.
On Sunday, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale asserted the following:
“While MLB executives believe Boston Red Sox GM Craig Breslow has done a rotten job in his communication with Rafael Devers trying to persuade him to move to first base (after already moving him from third base to DH), Devers doesn’t look great for his unwillingness to do so.”
Devers, a three-time All-Star signed to a 10-year, $313.5 million deal, was moved from third base to designated hitter in spring training to accommodate Alex Bregman’s signing. Recently, Devers has gotten back on track at the plate after a slow start, and the third base drama was water under the bridge for Boston.
Until…
Triston Casas’s season-ending injury prompted Breslow to ask Devers to play first base, igniting new frustrations from Devers.
Devers criticized Breslow on Thursday, saying, “I don’t understand some of the decisions that the GM makes,” among other things. This led to a high-profile meeting on Friday between Devers, Red Sox owner John Henry, Breslow, and manager Alex Cora.
Nightengale’s assessment of the mess points to Breslow’s failure to navigate Devers’s expectations, especially after earlier assurances. MLB executives seem to view this as a communication breakdown, with Breslow’s approach alienating Devers.
While Devers’s reluctance to adapt draws scrutiny, the Red Sox’s inconsistent messaging—from promising no positional changes to multiple requests—hasn’t been a great look either.
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