The Boston Red Sox drew some criticism around the league earlier this season for how they handled things with Rafael Devers. Now, nearly a month after the All-Star was traded to the San Francisco Giants, Boston’s front office is coming under fire again from one of its peers.
Speaking to Jayson Stark of The Athletic, one unnamed MLB executive was very critical of how the Red Sox organization handled Devers and what that says about their organization’s culture and treatment of players.
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“What stands out the most is just how brutal the communication (with Devers) was on their side. It’s made me think about how we treat players (in his team’s organization) — how players are treated and respected, and the value of good communication, and how that affects and creates culture. You know, it’s easy to throw stones at other teams. I get that. I just know that in our organization, we function on communication and culture and support, on positivity and curiosity. And these things are just what’s built into our organization, from top to bottom. So I can’t even fathom that happening.”
National League executive on the Boston Red Sox handling of Rafael Devers
Boston traded Devers on Sunday, June 18, following a three-game sweep by the New York Yankees at Fenway Park. While the club had improved to 39-37, the organization determined it wanted to offload Devers’ contract immediately and move on from a player the front office felt did not meet their standards.
Following the trade, the Red Sox fell apart and by late June had a 41-44 record. They have recently climbed back above the .500 mark, thanks to a six-game winning stretch against two of the worst teams in MLB, but they would miss the playoffs if the season ended today.
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Poor communication with Devers, who seemed to be the face of the franchise entering 2025, has been the primary criticism of Boston by MLB executives. How the club handled moving Devers off third base is what led to the deteriorated relationship with the homegrown star, who was beloved by the fan base.
While some may question whether Boston’s treatment of Devers and Mookie Betts could hurt them with top talent during MLB free agency, Alex Bregman has already stated he wants to stay with the club long-term. As long as the Red Sox are willing to pay top talent, which is not always a given, the organization’s reputation should not significantly hurt their roster building.
