KANSAS CITY, Missouri – The Boston Red Sox’s leadership, led by owner John Henry, president Sam Kennedy, and baseball director Craig Breslow, met with Rafael Devers this Friday in Kansas City.
The meeting took place after the player’s statements, who expressed his discontent at the possibility of being moved to first base.
The private meeting took place before the first game of the series against the Royals and was attended by Henry, Devers, and manager Alex Cora. The conversation delayed media attention and the player’s appearance on the field until after 5:00 p.m. (CT).
“It was a good and honest conversation,” Cora said after the dialogue. “Raffy expressed his feelings, John did the same. I think the presence of our principal owner in the clubhouse sends an important message.”
Alex Cora
The situation originated after Devers publicly expressed his discomfort with the idea of moving to first base, following the injury of Triston Casas, who was ruled out for the rest of the season due to surgery on his left knee.
“They can’t expect me to play in every position,” the Dominican commented on Thursday, reiterating his intention not to be so flexible in that regard.
Rafael Devers
Breslow acknowledged a certain level of frustration on the part of the player, but considered the meeting a positive step.
“It was an opportunity for sincere communication. It seems like it was productive and necessary. We all believe we have a team with potential to compete and we must focus on that,” Breslow stated.
Craig Breslow
At the moment, a definitive decision has not been made regarding Devers’ defensive future, who continued as a designated hitter and was lined up as the second batter in Friday’s game.
Since the beginning of the season, Devers has had to adapt to significant changes in his role, especially after the signing of Alex Bregman by the team. Although his preference was to stay at third base, he accepted becoming a designated hitter before Opening Day.
Veteran Trevor Story downplayed tension in the clubhouse.
“We are all adults and we will figure it out with time. It’s about winning games, and we agree on that,” Story assured.
Trevor Story
Both Breslow and Cora emphasized the importance of focusing on the game and that the organization will handle the situation with professionalism and transparency.
“Raffy is a key piece of this team. And having difficult conversations is also part of building a winning culture,” Breslow concluded.
Craig Breslow
