Boston Red Sox Twitter has taken the phrase "you have to laugh to keep from crying" to a new level after Rafael Devers declined to step up as the team's replacement first baseman.
The Red Sox's offense looked right for the first time in a few games during the later part of their series against the Texas Rangers. Boston claimed two-straight wins at Fenway Park, and Devers went 2-for-3 with a homer, a walk, a stolen base, two runs and two RBI in the series finale on May 8 — he finally looks at home as the Sox's designated hitter.
Then, the bomb dropped that Devers was unwilling to take up first base in Trison Casas' absence. Red Sox fans are largely split on where the front office's relationship with Devers went wrong, but it's safe to say there is plenty of blame to go around.
Red Sox fans have coped with Rafael Devers' refusal to play first base with memes, and they're hilarious
Red Sox fans on Twitter have dealt with the chaos in the best way they know how — with memes. Regardless of the posters' perspective and the vibes around the clubhouse in the wake of Devers' presser, the reactions on social media have been comedy gold. Not even the papal conclave has been spared from Sox fans' meme-rampage.
Much of the discourse has centered around Devers' refusal to be a "team player." He should want to move to first base because, right now, he's the best choice for the job in the Red Sox organization. The move would also open up a roster spot for Masataka Yoshida to join the team as the designated hitter, and therefore make the team better.
At the same time, plenty of Sox fans understand where Devers' refusal to move to first base comes from. The front office misled him about its plans to sign Alex Bregman and move him off third base this offseason — Bregman had already signed when the front office approached Devers about his impending position change. After his move to DH, Boston's management reiterated that Devers will not play the field for the Red Sox this year, and it took less than half of the season for them to need him as a backup plan.
Devers already feels like he was forced to make a sacrifice for the good of the team, and he's been asked to make another, two months later. It was wrong of him to air the front office out so publicly, but it is well within his rights to be upset with management.
This whole conflict could've been avoided had the Red Sox been upfront with Devers from the jump about their plans to replace him at third base. Misleading him about Boston's offseason free agent and trade pursuits served no one, and now the front office and Devers are all paying the price in a public, nobody-wins situation.
The Red Sox still don't have an everyday first baseman and it feels like the team and fan base are on edge as the drama plays out. But no matter how uncomfortable everyone around Boston's first base issue is, the memes are still hilarious.