{"id":39344,"date":"2025-04-08T03:59:52","date_gmt":"2025-04-08T03:59:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=39344"},"modified":"2025-04-08T03:59:52","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T03:59:52","slug":"red-sox-fans-support-rafael-devers-despite-early-struggles-position-change-drama","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=39344","title":{"rendered":"Red Sox fans support Rafael Devers despite early struggles, position change drama"},"content":{"rendered":"
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St. Louis Cardinals v Boston Red Sox | Maddie Malhotra\/Boston Red Sox\/GettyImages<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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The Boston Red Sox’s 2024-25 offseason was dynamic after several years of fizzle and not dazzle, but there have been issues despite the burst of payroll and talent.<\/p>\n

One of the most significant was the\u00a0signing of Alex Bregman to a potential three-year deal, which, on the surface, brought a solid bat and Gold Glove defense to third base. That was the problem \u2014 Boston already had a third baseman, and a very expensive one.<\/p>\n

The Red Sox hesitated to declare the obvious: This is a better defensive team with Bregman at third, not Devers. Devers is just 28 years old but, in service time, is approaching being a senior citizen for Boston.\u00a0If you scan Devers’s vita on FanGraphs,\u00a0you can see Raffy can hit with the best of them. The fielding statistic shouts out Bregman at third.<\/p>\n

Devers had considerable baggage going into the season, including his approach to being tossed off third, dealing with a bad shoulder, and questions on his conditioning surfacing. With voracious media reporting this as the story of the spring, Devers could be facing a miserable season, especially with a\u00a0perceived “me first” attitude.<\/p>\n

The worst possible storm was brewing, and Devers did his best to keep the dark storm clouds hovering with a plethora of whiffs, runners left on base, and a team not hitting as expected. Fingers point at Devers for being on the top of the wanted poster.<\/p>\n

Boston management was not perfect in this situation, and Devers’ move could’ve been handled better all around. Still, management had previously given kudos to\u00a0Devers for accepting change, as unpleasant as it may have been.<\/p>\n

Red Sox fans were vocal in their support for Rafael Devers during home-opening series<\/h2>\n
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