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‘This is egregious’: Former GM thinks Red Sox trading Rafael Devers is ‘unacceptable’
"Either you make the player do it, and if you're not going to make him do it, then you live with the circumstances. But you certainly don't trade him for this return, under any circumstances."
Former MLB general manager’s take on the Rafael Devers trade: Among the many people to have a take regarding the recent Red Sox trade of Rafael Devers to the Giants, one of the more strident voices also happens to be a former MLB Executive of the Year.
Boston-born Jim Bowden, ex-general manager of the Reds and Nationals (and winner of Executive of the Year in 1999), recently spoke about the deal on “Foul Territory.”
Asked if he thought a player of Devers’s caliber could ever make him want to agree to a quick trade due to internal issues, Bowden didn’t hold back.
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“Never a superstar player. Never. It can’t happen,” he said. “This is egregious.”
Bowden acknowledged that circumstances beyond pure baseball decision-making may have played a role. He cited reports about troubled meetings between management and Devers during the 2025 season.
“Look, the ego affects the progress of mankind,” Bowden said. “It always has, and ego got in the way here. And whether it’s Craig Breslow’s ego after Devers wanted to meet with Cora and John Henry and not him, or whether it’s John Henry’s ego.
“They have their own reasons, but no, this is unacceptable,” he claimed of the trade. “The late Sparky Anderson, who was the manager of the ‘Big Red Machine’ in the ’70s, he pulled me aside when I was a rookie GM in Cincinnati, and he said, ‘Always remember one thing: The game is about the players. The game is about the superstar players. Work with them. They will help you win games.’
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“I had to make tough decisions,” Bowden recalled. “I had to move Alfonso Soriano from second base to left field, and he didn’t want to do it. He didn’t talk to me for three months, and he ended up hitting 40 homers and stealing 40 bases that year.”
Another example the ex-Reds executive listed was “having” to move Tony Fernandez from shortstop to third base in 1994 because of Barry Larkin’s presence. Once again, he said that he put the team priority over whether or not a player personally liked him.
“But you know it didn’t matter what he felt about me,” Bowden explained. “I don’t care what he thought about the owner. You know what I cared about? I cared about what Barry Larkin felt about him. That’s what was important to me.”
Bowden concluded that Red Sox leadership had not been decisive enough in the team’s decision-making, leading to what he saw as a regretful deal.
“The players love Rafael Devers. He’s their best player. I don’t care if he hurt Breslow or Henry’s feelings for not wanting to do something. Either you make the player do it, and if you’re not going to make him do it, then you live with the circumstances. But you certainly don’t trade him for this return, under any circumstances.”
Trivia: Among the many trades Jim Bowden made during his time as an MLB GM was one in 1995 in which he dealt a future Pro Football Hall of Famer. Can you name that player?
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(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: Only player to have been in both a Super Bowl and a World Series during his notable career.
Scores and schedules:
The Red Sox kept the win streak going, defeating the Mariners 2-0 on Monday for a sixth consecutive victory. Roman Anthony hit his first career MLB home run in the process:
The Red Sox and Mariners will play again tonight in Seattle at 9:40 p.m.
More from Boston.com:
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- Roman Anthony belts first home run to help Red Sox extend win streak to 6 games
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- MLB exec maps out why Red Sox ‘did well’ by trading Rafael Devers to the Giants
- This team is reportedly doing ‘background’ work on Kristaps Porzingis as trade target
- Could the Bruins trade the No. 7 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft?
- Report: Red Sox ‘intend to buy’ at trade deadline following Rafael Devers trade
- David Ortiz weighs in on Rafael Devers trade: ‘Players’ egos play a big role sometimes’
- ‘They had enough and they traded him’: What Red Sox and MLB experts are saying about the stunning Rafael Devers trade
Red Sox players’ reaction to the trade: Boston players were asked about their thoughts regarding the Rafael Devers trade.
On this day: In 2002, the United States men’s national team defeated Mexico 2-0 in the Round of 16 of the World Cup. It remains a high-water mark in the modern history of the U.S. men’s team, helping to enshrine “Dos a Cero” as a famous refrain among American fans.
Daily highlight: From Sunday, Ollie Wright scored a delightful goal for Portland Hearts of Pine that combined dribbling with a curling finish. He finished the 3-1 win over Union Omaha with a hat-trick.
Trivia answer: Deion Sanders
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