The day that Boston Red Sox fans had been dreading for weeks finally arrived on Tuesday, as Rafael Devers manned first base for the first time for the San Francisco Giants — you know, the exact thing he refused to do in Boston, despite the team begging him for help after injuries to Alex Bregman and Triston Casas.
Devers handled the cold corner just fine, taking care of all of his opportunities in the field without much trouble. He also looked like his vintage self at the plate, going 2-for-5 with a homer in San Francisco's 9-0 romp over the Atlanta Braves. But as if that weren't painful enough for Red Sox Nations, Devers then decided he'd twist the knife a little more after the game by offering a quote that will leave all of New England shaking its head in disbelief.
You see, Devers doesn't understand why everyone's making such a big deal out of his willingness to play the field.
"I'm the kind of player that likes to be active, that likes to be on the field," Devers told Justice delos Santos after the game, apparently with a straight face. "I'd rather be on the field than in the cage hitting all the time just thinking about the next at-bat."
Rafael Devers considers himself someone who hits better when he's playing the field:
— Justice delos Santos (@justdelossantos) July 23, 2025
"I'm the kind of player that likes to be active, that likes to be on the field. I'd rather be on the field than in the cage hitting all the time just thinking about the next at-bat."
Yes, seriously. He wants everyone to think that he's just a selfless, team-first guy, one who would much rather be a two-way player than someone who just focuses on hitting. Never mind the fact that Devers spent weeks actively refusing to "be on the field" in Boston, forcing the team to run out a series of underwhelming options at both first and third base while he sat in the dugout every other half inning.
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Rafael Devers' version of Red Sox drama is willfully dishonest
Look, I've tried to offer at least some defense of Devers over the past weeks and months. The Red Sox straight-up lied to his face about their efforts to acquire another third baseman, and they didn't exactly handle the situation with finesse after signing Bregman in February. It was understandable that Devers would be upset. It was also understandable that he'd find it more than a little ironic when the team went from "he's our DH and under no circumstances will we put him in the field" to "grab your glove, Raffy" as soon as it became convenient.
That said, he was still being paid tens of millions per year to do a job, and digging his heels in and refusing to do something the team asked of him — something he knew he was capable of doing — just to prove a point was petty at best. It's not the sort of thing you want from your best player, and you could understand why that response convinced Boston it would be better off without him.
And you can bet they feel that way even more strongly now. The quote above is just astonishing in its mendacity. It would be one thing if Devers simply said, "I refused to play first base because I felt disrespected by my bosses and coaches in Boston, and I'm willing to do it now because I feel welcomed with the Giants." You could at least understand where he was coming from. But to turn his own decision back around on the Red Sox, to make it seem like they were the only ones driving all of this drama, is just beyond the pale.
Devers remains a great hitter, and good on San Francisco for swooping in and realizing that he'd likely handle things better after a change of scenery. But he also continues to behave in a way that raises questions about his ability to lead a clubhouse, and he shouldn't be wasting time insulting everyone's intelligence.