With some Boston Red Sox fans only starting to recover from the infamous Mookie Betts trade, the club made another one of the most controversial moves in the franchise’s history.
On Sunday, fresh off an uplifting three-game sweep of the New York Yankees, the Red Sox traded veteran slugger Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for right-hander Jordan Hicks, left-hander Kyle Harrison, minor-league outfielder James Tibbs, and minor-league righty Jose Bello. The deal’s bizarre timing left many, including former Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, thinking the reports of Devers’ departure had to be fake.
They weren’t.
The Red Sox killed any momentum from sweeping the Yankees and winning eight of their last 10 games. They shipped Devers to San Francisco for an underwhelming return, and though they shed the $254 million remaining on his contract, they reminded their frustrated fan base that pinching pennies takes precedence over assembling a winning ballclub.
Before we turn the page, it’s important to explain how we got here. Boston’s offseason signing of All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman led to the club asking Devers to move from third to designated hitter. Devers, who led all American League third basemen in errors for seven straight seasons, scoffed at the idea but ultimately acquiesced and became one of the league’s most productive DHs.
When Triston Casas went down with a season-ending knee injury in May, the Red Sox asked Devers to dig his glove out of the garbage and take over at first base. Devers declined and publicly called out chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, prompting Breslow and team owner John Henry to fly to Kansas City for a face-to-face meeting with the disgruntled slugger..
Breslow and manager Alex Cora described the meeting as “productive,” but Devers still never showed a willingness to play first. According to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe, the Red Sox felt that Devers’ $313.5 million contract “comes with responsibilities to do what is right for the team, and that Devers did not live up to those responsibilities.”
That may be true, but it doesn’t excuse the club’s poor handling of one of its biggest stars.
While Devers should have put his anger aside and put on a first baseman’s mitt, poor communication from Breslow and Co. doomed the relationship from the start. Devers took reps at third base in spring training, and Bregman was signed with the expectation that he’d shift to second base. Instead, Bregman immediately took over at third, blindsiding the club’s longest-tenured player.
In a vacuum, there’s a valid argument for trading a stubborn $300 million DH. But the timing of the move was inexcusable. Not only did Breslow’s bold decision destroy the good vibes surrounding a team that finally found its stride, it also exposed the short-sightedness of a fragile-egoed front office. It’s fair to assume the Red Sox would have gotten much more in return for Devers had they waited for a bidding war around the MLB trade deadline.
We could go on about why Breslow and the Red Sox deserve all the criticism they’re getting, and will continue to get for the foreseeable future. But what’s done is done, and it’s time to figure out what’s next for a franchise that can’t seem to get out of its own way.
Five years from now, the Devers deal won’t be judged solely by the lackluster return of Hicks, Harrison, Tibbs, and Bello. Instead, it will be evaluated by how the front office utilizes the $254 million freed up by dumping Devers’ contract. Big names expected to hit the free-agent market next winter include Kyle Tucker, Pete Alonso, Dylan Cease, and Zac Gallen. Of course, recent history suggests the Red Sox won’t be willing to outbid other big-market teams for players of that caliber.
Bregman’s uncertain future in Boston also becomes an even more pressing issue. His three-year, $120 million contract includes an opt-out after each of the first two seasons. Locking up the two-time World Series champion long-term should be a priority.
Devers’ absence also opens the door for Masataka Yoshida’s return from the injured list. Yoshida had offseason shoulder surgery that has prevented him from throwing, but he can now return to his DH role. He slashed .280/.349/.415 with 10 homers and 56 RBI in 108 games as the Red Sox DH last season.
In all likelihood, Devers won’t be the only notable Red Sox player moved this season. The club is considerably worse without his bat in the lineup, meaning it could get ugly over the next month heading into the trade deadline. Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Walker Buehler, and Aroldis Chapman are among their most valuable trade chips if they decide to sell, and they could be on the trade block even if the team remains in contention.
It’s impossible to predict where Boston goes from here, because whether it’s Breslow or Chaim Bloom leading the charge, the organization has no real sense of direction. One of the league’s richest clubs remains obsessed with financial flexibility despite consistently failing to put those funds to good use.
Nonetheless, the Red Sox will look to ignore the noise and pick up where they left off when they begin their three-game series in Seattle on Monday. They’re now 6.5 games back in the AL East with a 37-36 record and only a half-game out of a playoff spot, making the timing of the Devers deal even more confounding.
After the Mariners series, Boston will head to San Francisco for a must-watch series against Devers and the Giants starting on Friday.
Breslow and Red Sox CEO/president Sam Kennedy will address the media via Zoom before Monday’s game at 8 p.m. ET.
