Being on a new team with a fresh start seems to have sparked a major change in attitude for All-Star slugger Rafael Devers.
After spending most of the 2025 season in a public battle with the Boston Red Sox over what position he would be playing, Devers is taking an entirely new mindset after being traded to the San Francisco Giants and is willing to play whatever position is asked of him.
The issues between the Red Sox and Devers began at the start of the season when the team signed Alex Bregman to play third base, pushing Devers off of his preferred position and into a designated hitter role. Things only got worse when the Red Sox asked him to play first base due to mounting injury issues at the position.
Devers was not shy about sharing his displeasure with both requests.
So why the sudden change in mindset now that he’s with the Giants? Well, it could be any number of scenarios.
Getting traded can certainly humble a player and change their outlook or approach.
But the more likely scenario might simply be one of communication and respect. As in, perhaps the Giants were more upfront with Devers and more respectful in their approach with him than the Red Sox were.
Perhaps the problem wasn’t necessarily Devers not wanting to play a different position, but rather the way the Red Sox front office and coaching staff approached the situation and handled the requests.
No matter the reason, it’s a situation that probably has Red Sox fans even more angered over the trade than they already were. And now the Red Sox are in a position where their lineup is significantly weaker than it was a week ago, while another franchise cornerstone has been traded away for pennies on the dollar.
None of it paints the Red Sox in a particularly positive light at the moment.
