Before the Red Sox traded Rafael Devers to the Giants in June, tension emerged between Boston and Devers over his position this season.
The conflict began when the team signed Alex Bregman and decided to play him at third base over Devers, who previously manned the position for the Red Sox. Devers eventually agreed to be the designated hitter by the start of the season, but tension re-emerged when they asked him to spend time at first base following a season-ending injury to Triston Casas. The Red Sox felt like Devers wasn't living up to the responsibilities of his massive contract with the team, and ultimately traded him to the Giants.
Mike Yastrzemski only played alongside Devers on the Giants for less than two months before he was traded to the Royals, but quickly learned the type of teammate and player Devers is for a team.
"He was the best," Yastrzemski said of Devers on Foul Territory. "Awesome teammate, willing to do whatever he had to. I think he just got thrown into a weird circumstance and sometimes as players you have to stick up for yourself. I think that's what he tried to do and the wording of it was delivered poorly because he's an awesome teammate, he works his tail off, he tries to help everybody.
Mike Yastrzemski had a great day on the golf course, and then Buster Posey gave him a call... 😂 pic.twitter.com/W2e9vtErle
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) August 11, 2025
Yastrzemski continued, "If you're facing a guy that he's faced and you haven't faced him, full scouting report, where you want to look for the ball, what pitch you want to hit, how he's gonna pitch you. He's really smart and he cares about winning so much. I don't understand where all the heat came from."
While Devers's approach appeared to quickly change when he arrived in San Francisco and said he was "here to play whatever [position] they want me to play," he said he wasn't trying to spite the Red Sox or be a bad teammate. He later explained that he felt he had earned respect in Boston and would have been willing to play first base for them had they asked in spring training. The Giants gave him time to train to play first base, and he is beginning to find his groove at the position.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Former Giants Outfielder Dispels Narratives About Rafael Devers From Red Sox Trade.
