The San Francisco Giants are slated to host the Boston Red Sox this weekend, which can mean only two things. No. 1, that the universe has a sense of humor, and No. 2, the focus of the series will be on Rafael Devers, who was traded from Boston to San Francisco on Sunday in what may go down as the biggest and most shocking deal of the season.
Sure enough, Devers spent his pregame media availability answering questions about both his new and old homes. One particularly notable development had him divulging that he would have cooperated had the Red Sox asked him to play first base during spring training. That’s an interesting piece of information, mind you, because Devers’ falling out with the Red Sox began when they asked him during the spring to move off third base for free-agent signing Alex Bregman. Devers initially refused before later acquiescing.
The cold corner part of the equation only popped up after incumbent first baseman Triston Casas suffered a season-ending injury in May. The Red Sox, who had committed to Devers as their designated hitter, then approached him about changing positions again. When he declined, that’s when the proverbial dice were cast on his long-term future with the Red Sox.
Rafael Devers ready to ‘play wherever they want me to play’ with Giants after Red Sox positional drama
R.J. Anderson
Since the trade, Devers has proclaimed he’s willing to play wherever for the Giants, including — you guessed it — first base. While he’s started taking grounders there in pregame sessions, Giants manager Bob Melvin shut down the possibility of him seeing his first action there this series.
“Yeah that’s not gonna happen this weekend, we haven’t gotten there,” Melvin said during a radio appearance on KNBR. “It’s going to take a little bit more time than having him at first base during the Red Sox series.”
Devers, 28, has gone 3 for 11 in his first three games with the Giants. In 73 games with the Red Sox, he hit .272/.401/.504 (152 OPS+) with 15 home runs and 58 runs batted in. That 152 OPS+ would represent a new career-best if he were to maintain it over the remainder of the season.
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