There are lots of strong opinions on both sides of the debate right now between Rafael Devers and the Boston Red Sox.
Devers is peeved that the Red Sox are asking him to move positions for the second time in three months. He feels as though they went back on their word from two years ago when he signed his extension under the promise of remaining the third baseman, and then again from spring training when they said he would be the full-time designated hitter.
Meanwhile, others are upset at Devers for not being willing to step up and handle the first base job now that Triston Casas is out for the season. And while no current Red Sox players would ever reveal which side of the fence they’re on, one former Boston World Series champion is firmly on the side of the team.
On Friday, 2004 World Series champ and current MLB Network host Kevin Millar took Devers to task for his current outlook on the most recent episode of “Intentional Talk.”
“Right before you signed that 10-year, $313 million deal… if I was to ask you as ownership or the GM, ‘If something tragic happens to any of your teammates, in other words, somebody blows out their patellar tendon, and we were to ask you to move to another position,… would you do that before we signed this deal? And the answer would be, ‘1,000 percent,'” Millar said.
“‘What has changed?’ would be my question now… We’ve got Yoshida sitting over there that went through an arm surgery… He could be our DH… I’m not asking you to be a Gold Glover. I’m not asking you (not) to make four or five errors, that’s on me as the organization. But I’m asking you to be a great teammate and a great team player who’s already paid.”
Millar, who played first base on the 2004 team, came to the majors as a part-time third baseman, though he was introduced to other positions earlier in his career. He can appreciate the difficulties of making the transition, but at the same time, clearly prioritizes a player doing whatever they can to help their team.
Devers has had a couple of days to cool his jets. It’s unclear how much longer it might take to consider taking grounders at first, but it seems as though the Red Sox are willing to give him lots of time.
More MLB: Red Sox Owner John Henry Meeting With Rafael Devers Is Good Omen Amid Drama
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