Brady's Spin: Nobody Looks Good in Boston Red Sox and Rafael Devers Drama

The team didn't handle Devers's situation right in the offseason, and Devers isn't handling it right now.

Boston Red Sox designated hitter Rafael Devers (11) hits a one-run double against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning at Rogers Centre on April 30. / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

On Thursday, we wrote about the Rafael Devers' saga with the Boston Red Sox. There appears to be some confusion over the translation of what Devers said, as in does he not want to play first base, or does he not want to play it "right now," but this much is clear.

Neither side looks particular good in this situation, as I discussed on today's episode of the Payoff Pitch podcast:

This ​is ​an ​absolute ​disaster, ​and ​nobody ​looks ​good ​in ​this. ​First ​and ​foremost, ​the ​Red ​Sox ​don't ​look ​good ​in ​this. ​They ​gave ​Rafael Devers ​$330 ​million ​a ​couple ​of ​years ​ago ​to ​be ​the ​face ​of ​their ​franchise. ​And ​when ​you ​give ​somebody ​$330 ​million, ​I'm ​not ​saying ​that ​he ​deserves ​to ​run ​the ​team ​or ​run ​the ​roster, ​but ​he is ​deserved ​and ​owed ​a ​conversation ​in ​the ​off ​season, ​okay? ​The ​Red ​Sox ​needed ​to ​go ​to ​him ​and ​say, ​'look, ​we ​want ​to ​go ​and ​make ​this ​team ​better. ​We ​want ​to ​win ​another ​World ​Series ​championship. ​Here ​are ​various ​avenues ​we ​can ​go ​to ​do ​this. ​If ​one ​of ​those ​avenues ​is ​we ​bring ​in ​somebody ​that ​can ​play ​third ​base, ​how ​do ​you ​feel ​about ​it?' ​And ​if ​he ​shoots ​it ​down, ​then ​maybe ​there's ​a ​different ​conversation ​to ​have. ​But, ​he ​deserves ​that ​much, ​at ​least, ​because, ​by ​all ​accounts, ​them ​signing ​Bregman ​blindsided ​him. ​So ​he ​was ​hurt ​and ​he ​was ​emotional ​about ​it, ​and ​he ​didn't ​want ​to ​move, ​and ​that ​created ​drama ​in ​spring ​training. ​Devers ​also ​doesn't ​look ​particularly ​good ​in ​this ​either, ​because ​they've ​asked ​you ​to ​go ​play ​first ​base, ​not ​because ​they're ​trying ​to ​go ​back ​on ​their ​word, ​but ​because ​they've ​got ​an ​injury ​here ​and ​the ​team ​will ​be ​better ​if ​you ​play ​first ​and ​they ​can ​insert ​somebody ​else ​into ​that ​DH ​spot. ​Right ​now ​you ​look ​like ​a ​guy ​who ​was ​given ​$330 ​million ​and ​isn't ​willing ​to ​be ​a ​team ​player.

We talked about this situation further on the podcast, which you can listen to below:

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