Rafael Devers will play first base for Giants after Red Sox refusal

Now officially a Giant, Rafael Devers has changed his attitude on where he’s willing to play in the field. 

“They’re the men in charge,” Devers said of San Francisco’s front office and coaching staff at his introductory press conference Tuesday. “I’m here to play wherever they want me to play.”

Earlier this season, Devers had refused to play first base when the Red Sox asked, saying he didn’t want to make another position switch after being asked to move from third base to DH to accommodate the newly signed Alex Bregman.

Rafael Devers at Tuesday’s introductory press conference with the Giants. AP

Devers will be the designated hitter and hit third in his Giants debut against the Guardians Tuesday night, according to manager Bob Melvin. 

Melvin added that San Francisco plans to play Devers at a “little bit of DH and a little bit of first.”

“We’re going to work him in and get him some ground balls at first, and make sure he’s comfortable before we put him over there,” Melvin said. 

Devers declined to speak on what went wrong at the end of his nine-year tenure in Boston, saying: “I’m moving forward from the situation in Boston and looking forward to being a San Francisco Giant.”

The Red Sox traded Rafael Devers to the Giants Sunday. Getty Images

On Sunday evening, the Red Sox and Giants agreed to the stunning move which sent Devers to San Francisco and right-hander Jordan Hicks, left-hander Kyle Harrison, outfield prospect James Tibbs III and right-handed pitching prospect Jose Bello to Boston.

At the introductory press conference, Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey also noted that San Francisco had been in trade negotiations with the Red Sox for the last three to four weeks before the deal was finalized. 

In his opening statement, Devers thanked the Red Sox for signing him at 16 and giving him the chance to play in MLB. 

He then added that he is “happy to be here with the San Francisco Giants…and to meet Barry Bonds.”

Bonds, the legendary Giants slugger and MLB’s all-time home run leader, was proudly sitting in the front row of the press conference.