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Red Sox reportedly explored Rafael Devers trade with several teams before settling on Giants deal
"As a trade was being discussed, Devers steadily withdrew from the day-to-day culture of the Red Sox."
While the Red Sox decision to trade Rafael Devers appeared abrupt to the outside baseball world, it may have actually have come at the end of a longer process than initially believed.
In an extensive new report from Boston Globe Red Sox reporter Peter Abraham, the deterioration in the two sides’ relationship began in spring training. In fact, the first attempts to trade Devers also trace back several months.
Ultimately, Boston dealt the star slugger to the Giants in a controversial trade in exchange for pitchers Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison as well as prospects James Tibbs and Jose Bello.
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Yet according to Abraham, the trade with San Francisco occurred only after conversations with several other clubs. The Red Sox “contacted a number of teams” during spring training about a potential Devers deal after the initial controversy materialized over whether he would be ok shifting away from third base following the Alex Bregman signing.
Eventually, Devers gave in and took up the regular role of designated hitter. Yet after Triston Casas ruptured a tendon in his left knee on May 2, another in-house standoff developed after Devers declined a team request to play first base.
Eventually, Boston management returned to the notion of exploring a trade.
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“Multiple industry sources said the Sox had been in touch with the Padres, Mariners, Cubs, Blue Jays, and Braves about Devers, before consummating the Giants deal,” Abraham wrote.
In addition, signs of Devers’s split with team leadership became more apparent.
“As a trade was being discussed, Devers steadily withdrew from the day-to-day culture of the Red Sox,” Abraham reported, “typically arriving at the ballpark just before the start of team activities for the day.”
Of course, the 28-year-old three-time All-Star continued to hit at a high level, totaling a .905 OPS with 15 home runs prior to the trade. Yet he reportedly declined multiple times to do postgame interviews with the team’s local TV network, NESN. Abraham noted that this caused “frustration” with Red Sox management.
Eventually, after several rounds of negotiations with the Giants, Boston chief baseball officer Craig Breslow struck the deal that was announced on Sunday. Devers, once seen as a central pillar on the Red Sox roster for potentially years to come, was sent packing.
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