The Boston Red Sox and infielder Rafael Devers have endured some drama over his spot on the field in recent weeks, but on Friday it was all love between the organization and its star player.
Devers kicked up drama earlier this month when he publicly turned down the idea of moving to third base, saying the team already took him off the field to serve as the designated hitter and he wasn’t happy about making another move.
“I know I’m a ballplayer, but at the same time, they can’t expect me to play every single position out there,” Devers said through a translator, via the Boston Globe. “In spring training, they talked to me and basically told me to put away my glove, that I wasn’t going to play any other position but DH.”
Devers brought some major punch out of the DH spot on Friday.
In the opening game of a double-header against the Baltimore Orioles, he went 4-for-6 with two home runs and eight RBIs. The Red Sox won 19-5, thanks in large part to a 13-run eighth inning.
After the game, the Red Sox took to social media to share some love for his career day.
“8-RBI day for Raffy,” the team wrote in a post on X.
Despite the monster day and no lingering signs of animosity between sides after Devers shot down the idea of playing third, some analysts believe the Red Sox could look to deal Devers. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale believes a trade could be coming, but likely not until next winter.
“The next step could be Devers formally requesting a trade, which likely would not be strongly considered until the offseason,” Nightengale wrote.