The Red Sox exchanged Rafael Devers because they thought he was not willing to do what is needed to win.
Although that was not explicitly said, Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy and Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow made that abundance clearly in the course of their 40 -minute press conference on the astonishing trade. When asked why they thought it was necessary to act abruptly one of the most productive batters in team history, the couple repeatedly mentioned the culture of the team and the need to promote a winning environment.
Unused left behind was the fact that they found that Devers had become harmful to those efforts.
“While we think about the identity and culture and the environment created by great teams, something was wrong here,” said Breslow, “and it was something that we had to act decisively to correct the right one.”
The drama that took place between Red Sox and Devers has taken place in sight. Devers became frustrated after club officials did not communicate that they considered moving him from the third base to the eve of the spring training, and after the Red Sox Alex Bregman had signed, he publicly opposed the idea of giving up his place. He finally admitted and shifted to the designated batter, but tensions flared up again when Triston Casas sustained a seasonal knee injury, so Breslow Devers could be approached and asked if he would intervene and play the first base.
Again, Devers publicly refused and opened the team, and took a specific goal on Breslow while suggesting that the Chief Baseball Officer might have something against him. This ensured that top club officials, including protagonist John Henry, fly to Kansas City to erase the air, where the two parties had a “frank” and “honest” conversation.
On Monday, Breslow spoke to a point to refer how the past Red SOX Championship teams consisted of players who were willing to make sacrifices for improving the team. Or in other words, do what Devers had explicitly refused.
“Where it keeps coming, this idea is that the whole is bigger than the sum of the parts, that every individual contributes and finds a way to help win a team,” said Breslow. “It is the willingness to perform and sacrifice in times of need and essentially what is needed to help the team win. And I think that is the identity, this ruthless endeavor to win, what we are looking for. It is the identity that the World Series have had Championship teams in the past.”
Devers presence such as the longest and best -paid player of the club had become an obvious roadblock for those efforts, and Breslow even implied that they were worried that he could have a negative influence on the emerging young striking striking striking.
“We would not have done this exchange if we didn’t think it was best for the organization and the vision and the beliefs and culture that we are trying to create,” said Breslow. “We have a number of young players who are in the big competitions and we are very enthusiastic about them and we are very, very intentionally and deliberately about the environment we want to create.”
Although Kennedy and Breslow refused to specify what they wanted from Devers that he was not willing or unable to do, they left little room for doubt why they thought the trade should happen and why it couldn’t wait. Now the Red SOX and Devers will go their own way, and only time will learn whether the bold move will prove to be the right one.
Originally published:
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