Rafael Devers calls out Craig Breslow, Red Sox front office: 'I don't feel that they stayed true to their word'

Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald on May 8, 2025

Published in Baseball

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BOSTON — Rafael Devers was finally settling in as the Red Sox designated hitter, after a tumultuous spring training that saw him forced out of his third base job for Alex Bregman.

But when first baseman Triston Casas suffered a season-ending injury last Friday, Devers found himself pulled into the maelstrom again.

Speaking in the clubhouse on Thursday evening with the help of translator Daveson Perez, Devers not only confirmed that the Red Sox have had a conversation with him about playing first base since Casas went down, but didn’t mince words about how this new development made him feel.

Initially diplomatic, Devers’ frustrations became clear as the session continued.

“I don’t think, me personally, it’s the best decision, after they asked me to play a different position and I don’t even have two months playing this position,” Devers said. “I know I’m a ballplayer but at the same time, they can’t expect me to play every single position out there.

“In spring training, they talked to me and basically told me to put away my glove, that I wasn’t going to play any other position but DH, so right now I just feel like it’s not an appropriate decision by them to ask me to play another position.”

Though he didn’t name Craig Breslow outright, Devers took particular issue with the chief baseball officer, whom he repeatedly referred to as “the GM,” initiating the conversation.

“I’m not certain what he has with me,” Devers said of the longtime pitcher-turned-executive. “He played ball, and I would like to think that he knows that changing positions like that isn’t easy.”

“They put me in this situation,” he said of the front office. “As you know, they told me that they didn’t want to allow me to play any other position, and now I think they should do their jobs essentially, and hit the market and look for another player. I’m not sure why they want me to be in-between.”

Asked if there was a possibility he’d change his mind, Devers said “No.”

“I mean, I don’t think so,” he then amended. “Like they’ve told me, I’m a little hard-headed, and this is – they already asked me to change once, and this time I don’t think I can be as flexible.”

“I don’t feel that they stayed true to their word,” Devers continued. “They asked me to – they told me that I was going to be playing this position, DH, and now they’re going back on that. So yeah, I just don’t think they stayed true to their word.”

Devers said, “Claro, si,” Spanish for “Yes, of course,” he was upset that the Red Sox even asked. He made sure to clarify that this isn’t an issue with his teammates, several of whom were listening around the clubhouse and appeared frustrated themselves.

“Here in the clubhouse, thankfully, the relationship that I have with my teammates is great,” he said. “I don’t understand some of the decisions that the GM makes. Next thing you know, someone in the outfield gets hurt and they want me to play in the outfield.

“I think I know the kind of player that I am, and yeah, that’s just where I stand.”

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