The Boston Red Sox had been in a tough spot with Rafael Devers since they signed Alex Bregman in the offseason.
Devers did not want to be moved off third base. Although he eventually had to, Devers did not take kindly to Craig Breslow's request to have him play first base when Triston Casas got hurt. Devers went on a rant in the media after that and likely sealed his fate with the team.
Breslow and team CEO Sam Kennedy held a press conference to outline their thought process on trading Devers, who had eight-plus years remaining on his 10-year, $313 million contract. Both noted that the team had essentially reached a point where the two sides' visions did not align.
BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 2: Craig Breslow speaks as he is officially introduced as Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox during a press conference on November 2, 2023 at Fenway Park in Boston,...
BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 2: Craig Breslow speaks as he is officially introduced as Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox during a press conference on November 2, 2023 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images
On paper, this move points to the Red Sox punting on the season. However, Breslow and the players remain confident in their ability to win despite trading away a player of Devers' caliber. In fact, Breslow took a slight jab at Devers, noting he thinks his team is better off without the All-Star.
"I do think there's a real chance that at the end of the season, we're looking back and we've won more games than we otherwise would've," Breslow said in a video posted to the team's YouTube page.
That's certainly a bold statement for Breslow to make. To say he thinks the team will be better after cutting ties with its franchise player tells fans what he thought about Devers' contributions to the team this year. Despite how good Devers was for the Red Sox, Breslow clearly thought his impact on the team's culture was more negative than positive.
"We have a number of young players who are in the big leagues, and we're really excited about them, and we're very, very deliberate and intentional about the environment that we want to create," Breslow told reporters. "And ultimately, we believe that we're positioning the organization to win a bunch of games, both in 2025 and beyond."
Devers was a key part of the Red Sox's recent stretch of success. The team is back above .500 and a half-game back of an American League Wild Card spot. However, they are still hoping to put themselves in a position to make the postseason.
"This trade is in no way signifying us waving the white flag on 2025," Breslow told reporters in the video. "Making this move made more sense for us than not making it."
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