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Associated Press
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Rafael Devers hits first home run for Giants against former team Red Sox
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Rafael Devers hit his first home run for the Giants, connecting against his former Boston Red Sox team just six days after being traded to San Francisco. Devers began his first series against the Red Sox by going 0 for 5 on Friday night and grounding out in his first at-bat Saturday. He then delivered just what his new team had been expecting when he hit an opposite-field drive off Brayan Bello over the left-field fence for a two-run homer in the third inning. Devers got loud cheers from the big crowd in San Francisco as he rounded the bases for his 216th career home run that just happened to be caught by a fan in a Red Sox T-shirt. Devers was traded by Boston less than two years into a 10-year, $313.5 million contract extension that he signed in 2023. Devers' relationship with the Red Sox began to deteriorate when the team signed Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman during spring training and asked Devers to move to DH; he balked before agreeing to the switch. When first baseman Triston Casas sustained a season-ending knee injury, the Red Sox approached Devers about playing the field and he declined, saying the front office 'should do their jobs' and look for another player. A day after Devers' comments to the media about playing first, Red Sox owner John Henry, team president Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow flew to Kansas City to meet with Devers and manager Alex Cora. Devers' stance didn't change and he was eventually traded to San Francisco where he is practicing at first base to play there later this season. Devers said Friday that he wouldn't have done anything differently in his time in Boston, adding that he was as happy as he has been in years after joining the Giants. ___ AP MLB:
New York Times
20-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Rafael Devers on Red Sox tenure: ‘I do feel that I have earned some respect'
SAN FRANCISCO — As Rafael Devers prepared to play his former team, the Boston Red Sox, on Friday night, he avoided addressing any hard feelings from the fallout of a massive trade earlier this week. Devers, who was traded to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday night after nine seasons in Boston, repeated multiple times that what happened in Boston was in the past. Advertisement 'That's in the past,' Devers said through an interpreter while sitting in the Giants' dugout at Oracle Park. 'Those are not decisions that I control and I'm leaving that in the past right now.' When Devers was introduced in a press conference in San Francisco on Tuesday, the Giants noted Devers had begun taking work at first base, something he had refused to do in Boston following Triston Casas' season-ending knee injury. The Red Sox had already asked Devers to move from third base to designated hitter in the spring after they signed third baseman Alex Bregman, another point of contention for Devers. Devers' pointed words on May 8 regarding the team's request for him to play first base led to principal owner John Henry flying to Kansas City the next day to meet with Devers. 'I know I'm a ballplayer but at the same time they can't expect me to play every single position out there,' Devers said at the time. 'In spring training, they talked to me and basically told me to put away my glove — that I wasn't going to play any other position but DH. So right now I just feel like it's not an appropriate decision by them to ask me to play another position.' On Friday, Devers was asked why he was willing to play first in San Francisco but was not willing to in Boston. 'I would say that I put some good numbers up in Boston and I think that I do feel that I have earned some respect,' he said. 'If they would have asked me at the beginning of spring training, yes, I would have played.' Asked if he felt disrespected by the Red Sox, Devers demurred. 'What happened happened,' he said. 'Again, I don't want to talk about the past.' Following Devers' refusal in early May to begin work at first base in Boston, the Red Sox had rookie Kristian Campbell start working out at first. Devers denied a Yahoo Sports report that he was frustrated that Campbell had started working at first. Advertisement Campbell, who was optioned to Triple-A Worcester on Friday as outfielder Wilyer Abreu was activated off the injury list, also denied the report. 'That was false,' Campbell told reporters in Worcester. 'I never went to the Red Sox and said I would play first base, they came to me.' On his first day back in Triple A, Campbell continued pregame work at first base. Krisitian Campbell taking grounders at first base in Worcester — Katie Morrison-O'Day (@KatieMo61) June 20, 2025 On Monday night, a day after the trade, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and CEO Sam Kennedy repeated throughout a 40-minute session with the media that the impetus for trading Devers was due to a misalignment in what they were asking of Devers and what he was willing to do. 'We couldn't find alignment, and we reached that inflection point and made the decision to make a big move,' Kennedy said. Devers would not address the disconnect on Friday. 'Like I said, that's in the past,' Devers said. 'I really don't want to talk about it. I want to concentrate on what's in the future for me.' With third baseman Matt Chapman on the injury list, Devers was asked if the Giants had inquired about him playing third base, the position he held for eight years in Boston. 'No that never came up,' Devers said. 'I mean we have one of the best third basemen in the league. And we know that when he comes back, that's his position.'
Al Arabiya
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Rafael Devers Explains Why He Is Willing To Play First Base For The Giants But Not The Red Sox
Rafael Devers had a consistent mantra when he addressed the Boston media for the first time since his surprising trade from the Red Sox to the San Francisco Giants five days ago. 'The past is in the past,' Devers said repeatedly Friday when asked about his time with the Red Sox and why the relationship deteriorated so much this season that the team traded him less than two years into a 10-year, $313.5 million contract he signed in 2023. Devers did give one piece of insight when asked what he would tell Red Sox fans about why he is willing to play first base in San Francisco if he is asked after refusing to do so with the Red Sox when asked last month. 'I would say that I have put some good numbers up over in Boston,' he said through an interpreter. 'I think that I do feel that I have earned some respect. If they would have asked me at the beginning of spring training, yes I would have played (first).' Devers's relationship with the Red Sox began to deteriorate when the team signed Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman during spring training and asked Devers to move to designated hitter; he balked before agreeing to the switch. When first baseman Triston Casas sustained a season-ending knee injury, the Red Sox approached Devers about playing the field, and he declined, saying the front office should do their jobs and look for another player. A day after Devers's comments to the media about playing first, Red Sox owner John Henry, team president Sam Kennedy, and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow flew to Kansas City to meet with Devers and manager Alex Cora. Devers's stance didn't change, and he was eventually traded to San Francisco. He said he wouldn't have done anything differently in his time in Boston. 'I put up good numbers over there,' he said. 'I always gave my 100 percent.' The Giants were happy to acquire Devers after striking out in their bid to sign a big bat for the middle of the lineup in free agency. Devers went 3 for 11 with two walks and an RBI in his first three games with San Francisco as a designated hitter. He has started working out at first base and said he would be happy to play there as soon as he feels comfortable. 'Like I said in the past, that is not a position that you're going to learn how to play overnight,' he said. 'I just have to continue that practice there.' Devers said he is as happy as he has been in years in his first few days with the Giants and enjoyed the opportunity to see some of his friends on the Red Sox on Thursday night when the team arrived in town. 'It's been a few hectic days,' he said. 'A long week it feels like. But I saw my friends yesterday, so I was happy to be able to see them. I'm very happy.' Devers said he didn't have anything good or bad to say about Cora but said he would talk to him on the field this weekend when he had the chance. Devers was 20 when he made his major league debut with the Red Sox in 2017. He helped the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series and led the team in RBIs for five consecutive seasons from 2020–24. He has finished in the top 20 in voting for AL MVP five times. The Giants have lacked slugging since Barry Bonds hit 45 home runs in 2004; they are the only team in the majors who have not had a batter hit 30 home runs since then. Devers has hit at least 30 home runs three times. Devers is not the first Red Sox All-Star to be traded away: The team sent Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2020 season in a salary dump – just a year after he won the AL MVP award and led Boston to a franchise-record 108 wins and its fourth World Series title since 2004.
Associated Press
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Rafael Devers explains why he is willing to play first base for the Giants but not the Red Sox
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Rafael Devers had a consistent mantra when he addressed the Boston media for the first time since his surprising trade from the Red Sox to the San Francisco Giants five days ago. 'The past is in the past,' Devers said repeatedly Friday when asked about his time with the Red Sox and why the relationship deteriorated so much this season that the team traded him less than two years into a 10-year, $313.5 million contract he signed in 2023. Devers did give one piece of insight when asked what he would tell Red Sox fans about why he is willing to play first base in San Francisco if he is asked after refusing to do so with the Red Sox when asked last month. 'I would say that I have put some good numbers up over in Boston,' he said through an interpreter. 'I think that I do feel that I have earned some respect. If they would have asked me at the beginning of spring training, yes, I would have played (first).' Devers' relationship with the Red Sox began to deteriorate when the team signed Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman during spring training and asked Devers to move to DH; he balked before agreeing to the switch. When first baseman Triston Casas sustained a season-ending knee injury, the Red Sox approached Devers about playing the field and he declined, saying the front office 'should do their jobs' and look for another player. A day after Devers' comments to the media about playing first, Red Sox owner John Henry, team president Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow flew to Kansas City to meet with Devers and manager Alex Cora. Devers' stance didn't change and he was eventually traded to San Francisco. He said he wouldn't have done anything differently in his time in Boston. 'I put up good numbers over there,' he said. 'I always gave my 100 percent.' The Giants were happy to acquire Devers after striking out in their bid to sign a big bat for the middle of the lineup in free agency. Devers went 3 for 11 with two walks and an RBI in his first three games with San Francisco as a designated hitter. He has started working out at first base and said he would be happy to play there as soon as he feels comfortable. 'Like I said in the past, that is not a position that you're going to learn how to play overnight,' he said. 'I just have to continue that practice there.' Devers said he is as happy as he has been in years in his first few days with the Giants and enjoyed the opportunity to see some of his friends on the Red Sox on Thursday night when the team arrived in town. 'It's been a few hectic days,' he said. 'A long week it feels like. But I saw my friends yesterday, so, I was happy to be able to see them. I'm very happy.' Devers said he didn't have 'anything good or bad to say' about Cora but said he would talk to him on the field this weekend when he had the chance. Devers was 20 when he made his major league debut with the Red Sox in 2017. He helped the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series and led the team in RBIs for five consecutive seasons from 2020-24. He has finished in the top 20 in voting for AL MVP five times. The Giants have lacked slugging since Barry Bonds hit 45 homers in 2004; they are the only team in the majors who have not had a batter hit 30 homers since then. Devers has hit at least 30 homers three times. Devers is not the first Red Sox All-Star to be traded away: The team sent Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2020 season in a salary dump -- just a year after he won the AL MVP award and led Boston to a franchise-record 108 wins and its fourth World Series title since 2004. ___ AP MLB:
CBS News
20-06-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Rafael Devers, Red Sox set to square off in weekend series in San Francisco
The Boston Red Sox just said goodbye to Rafael Devers, but will get reacquainted with their former designated hitter this weekend in San Francisco. Last Sunday's trade that sent Devers from the Red Sox to the Giants was bizarre enough, but it will take another wild turn this weekend when Boston faces Devers and his new team for a three-game series in San Fran. After donning red socks for 1,053 games, Devers will now play his former team just five days after their relationship ended in a messy divorce. Devers initially signed with the Red Sox as a 16-year-old international free-agent in 2013. He made his Major League debut in 2017 and helped the team win a World Series in 2018, when he started to emerge as a big bat in the heart of the order. In 2023, he signed a 10-year, $313.5 million contract extension that made him the face of the franchise. But the relationship soured over the offseason and throughout Spring Training even before the team brought in veteran third baseman Alex Bregman. Devers was hurt by his move from third to DH, and the relationship deteriorated from there. While Devers raked at the plate as Boston's designated hitter, he refused to play the field when the team was in need. He wouldn't try his hand at first base after Triston Casas suffered a season-ending injury, which prompted a visit from principal owner John Henry while the team was in Kansas City. The Red Sox drew a line and decided to move on from their highest-paid player when it was clear the two sides couldn't see eye-to-eye on what was best for the team. Devers was traded to the Giants for four players, with San Francisco taking on the remaining $250-plus million remaining on his contract. When the Red Sox and Giants square off at Oracle Park on Friday night, it will be Devers' fourth game with San Francisco. Through his first three games with his new team, Devers is 3-for-11 with a double, an RBI, and two walks. He's also struck out four times. The Giants are 1-2 with Devers, with their lone win a 2-1 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday. Red Sox on facing Rafael Devers While fans were shocked by the Devers trade, the team has done its best to move on quickly. Boston manager Alex Cora has been stressing how the team needs to turn the page since he first reacted to the deal on Monday, but did admit Friday's game will be a little odd. "Obviously different. And it's so recent, right? He's gonna do everything possible to kick our ass, and we're gonna do everything possible to do the same," Cora told reporters ahead of the series. "So that's the business of it. The only thing is it's so recent that it's gonna feel awkward. But I think both teams have a job to do. Let's play the game and try to win." "It will be a little weird for sure, seeing him in those colors, just because he's been here for such a long time, such a big part of this franchise," said Boston shortstop Trevor Story. "Once the game starts, I'm sure he'll tell you the same -- it's about winning. He wants to win for his team and we want to win for ours. Once the first pitch is thrown, it's all about competition at that point." Devers is obviously hoping to make some big swings and sweep his former team, and may be willing to try something new for his new organization this weekend. Will Devers play first base against the Red Sox? While Devers wouldn't play first base for Boston, he said he's willing to play anywhere in his San Francisco introduction on Tuesday. He was out taking grounders at the position after talking with reporters as a Giant for the first time, and was back at it again ahead of Thursday's game. There's been some rumblings that Devers might play some first against Boston, which would really stick it to his old team. But Devers has never played at the position in the Majors, and he'll likely remain at DH for the Giants will he get acclimated to the new spot. Devers staying at designated hitter will give Red Sox fans a chance to see old friend Dom Smith, who has been filling in at first for the Giants along with Wilmer Flores.
