Hall of Famer continues to unnecessarily be critical of new SF Giants star Rafael Devers

The Rafael Devers trade and the ensuing public relations storm has been tough on the Boston Red Sox and its fans. However, one public figure, David Ortiz, continues to go out of his way to be critical of Devers and try and spin the trade as Devers' fault.

Hall of Famer continues to unnecessarily be critical of new SF Giants star Rafael Devers

In a video shared by Marino Pepén, who covers the Red Sox, Ortiz puts the blame of the feud between Devers and the Red Sox squarely on the former. Ortiz explains, "Red Sox didn't disrespect Devers. He disrespected himself. He comes to spring training out of shape and being the third baseman with the worst defense, they sign a Gold Glove, and he won't accept another position."

Earlier in the week, Ortiz posted an Instagram story shared by Tyler Milliken of 98.5 The Sports Hub, which is a Boston-based radio station. In the post, Ortiz adds, "You have to just not be a hitter, you have to be the full package all the way around."

The hilarious part about that second post is Ortiz, a DH for nearly all of his 20-year career, suggesting that someone else has to be the full package. For what it is worth, Rafael Devers will likely see considerable time at DH for the remainder of his contract. For now, Devers is getting work at first base, with Will Clark among the people who will be coaching him on the position.

There is a sharp contrast between how Ortiz has handled this trade and how Devers has approached it. During his introductory press conference, he was asked about his time with the Red Sox and the events that led to the trade. The 28-year-old slugger had no interest in reopening a still raw wound for many.

Instead, he thanked the Red Sox and their fans for their support and reiterated his desire to focus on helping his new team win. To him, his time with the Red Sox was in the past, and he found no value in discussing the end of his tenure. On the other hand, Ortiz has approached this saga publicly.

I think Ortiz's very public criticisms of Devers highlight the rift that became irreparable between the Red Sox and Devers. Devers seems like a private person and would have been more receptive to speaking with Ortiz or any of the Red Sox brass in private. However, Ortiz has publicly voiced his displeasure with Devers' handling of this entire saga since spring training.

Why would Ortiz feel the need to do this? For starters, he likes the camera on him. He does a lot of work on TV, and he has a huge following, especially in Boston. He is a legend there for a lot of reasons. When something happens, a lot of people look to Ortiz for his opinion.

Of course, Ortiz is also a special assistant to the front office. He works for the Red Sox, so he likely needs to try and control the narrative. The fallout from the Devers trade shined a negative light on chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, the front office, and the ownership group. They could use some positive spin, and Ortiz has been doing that non-stop since the trade, even if it feels unnecessary and personal at this point.