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.
One of the most significant was the signing 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 — Boston already had a third baseman, and a very expensive one.
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. If you scan Devers's vita on FanGraphs, you can see Raffy can hit with the best of them. The fielding statistic shouts out Bregman at third.
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 perceived "me first" attitude.
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.
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 Devers for accepting change, as unpleasant as it may have been.
Red Sox fans were vocal in their support for Rafael Devers during home-opening series
Rafael Devers is 4-for-4 and the @RedSox are pouring it on! #SundayNightBaseball pic.twitter.com/QlQXIcHODR
— MLB (@MLB) April 7, 2025
Devers finally busted into the hit column in Baltimore, but it was not a dynamic warehouse shot at Camden Yards. When you are dying of thirst, a sip will do, and any hit is a glorious occasion when slumping. Now comes Boston.
The excellent news for Devers is he was no longer .000 by Opening Day at Fenway Park. That may have produced a different outcome if the team continued to tank and Devers's wooden bat was still rubber.
The raucous home crowd was in a celebratory mood, with members of the 1975 championship team being honored, nice weather, and big things expected after an early funk.
The braying boo birds for Devers were not present, and just the opposite happened with cheers and not jeers for Raffy. The greeting was not light applause, nor were there more leathered lung critics to drown out a simple, spontaneous moment, much like with the baggage of 1986 tossed aside when Bill Buckner returned.
What happens going forward? What if Devers falls apart, and so does the team? My leap of faith is that Devers will not match George Scott's disaster of 1968. Scott came off the championship 1967 team, hitting .303 and grabbing a Gold Glove. In 1968, Scott hit .171, which was not injury-related.
Devers is now the designated hitter, but positional play has not disappeared. David Ortiz came to Boston and, at about Devers's age, posted some rather impressive numbers as a DH. Ortiz was not vanquished from defense, which the Cardinals can attest to after the 2013 World Series.
Devers is in a perfect spot if he adjusts to DH. The right-hand bats now provide cover for the lefties in the lineup. With the pressure off and Devers batting 10-for-19 in April, he could be primed for a monster season with Red Sox Nation firmly behind him.