Inexplicable new Red Sox quotes prove SF Giants helped Rafael Devers escape disaster

The end of Rafael Devers' time with the Boston Red Sox was not without drama. The relationship deteriorated over the course of 2025 and the Red Sox are still taking parting shots at their former slugger even though he has been with the SF Giants since June.

Tom Werner, chairman of the Red Sox, so, basically their version of Greg Johnson, said the following about Devers:

"I don’t like to speak ill of any player. I’d like to say that he’s a wonderful person… But, of course, when we had an injury at first base, his unwillingness to play that position was extremely discouraging… It was a discouraging episode… Just pick up a glove.”

Rafael Devers has to be thankful he is on SF Giants after Red Sox comments

The irony in Werner's statement is that the Red Sox told him to put his glove away earlier in 2025 after they signed Alex Bregman to be their third baseman. That made Devers a designated hitter and while he was not thrilled about that, his refusal to play first base spoke to his frustration with the way he was being treated.

He was discontent and wanted out which created an opening for the Giants to swoop in and snag him in a blockbuster trade.

No matter what the Red Sox say publicly, there has to be some second guessing going on with that trade. Bregman is now with the Chicago Cubs and the only player that remains on the team from the trade with the Giants is an unheralded minor league pitcher.

Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey looks pretty genius for the move as it has aged quite well even if Devers did struggle a bit for the Giants last season.

The left-handed slugger has to be thankful to be out of that situation in Boston as well. Clearly he did not like the way Boston was sending mixed messages to him about what his role on the team was.

He has to be a lot happier in San Francisco because he played first base, was the DH, and even played third base without complaint for the Giants.

Maybe the Red Sox are simply trying to save face after the move clearly did not work out the way they intended. Perhaps the return they got in the latest trade that sent Kyle Harrison to the Milwaukee Brewers will make them feel a little better about the trade but that remains to be seen.

As of right now, it seems like the Giants were the clear winners as they have a slugger in his prime in the middle of the order for the foreseeable future while the Red Sox are scrambling to address their roster holes.