Boston Red Sox great Pedro Martinez has weighed in on the ongoing Rafael Devers situation. This whole thing has blown out of proportion from a simple ask about a position switch to what is now national drama that has capviated MLB. This isn’t about who’s right or who’s wrong; it’s about clarity and being upfront.
Martinez essentially said this isn’t about Devers' lack of worth ethic, but rather the fact that he wants to be respected. And since the Red Sox slightly disrespected Devers by bringing in his replacement in Alex Bregman, telling him to stash his glove away just to redirect him to first base once Triston Casas went down, you can’t be mad at Devers' reaction.
“"You have to be Devers to understand Devers," Martinez said, per a Sports Illustrated story. "If you don’t treat the player, treat the money you’re paying him ... Devers does not shy away from working ... Devers is not a guy that talks much, he leads by example.”
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The Rafael Devers situation is just as much Boston's fault as it is Devers'
Devers hasn’t handled any of this in the best way possible, but that doesn’t absolve the Red Sox either. When they told Devers that he’d essentially be paid to be the most expensive DH in MLB, he pushed back before eventually obliging.
I’m sure that wasn’t easy. But forcing another position change onto him for a situation he didn’t cause shouldn’t make him public enemy No. 1. After all, what did the Red Sox do to avoid this situation?
When they took third-base duties from Devers this spring, they could have easily told him they wanted him to take some reps at first base as a backup option if they needed him. That would have kept them from looking clueless right now.
Losing Triston Casas hurt this team more than they’ve realized. Now they’re being reactive instead of proactive in rectifying the situation. Devers will probably receive a lot of criticism for not being a team player and making the switch, but he put the team first when he moved to DH rather than pushing back more on a move from his natural position. Asking him to play a position he’s never played and expecting him to willingly accept it isn’t fair to him.
This is a Red Sox problem just like it’s a Devers problem. Instead of trying to force Devers into a move to first, they should find a better resolution and avoid any further drama.