Red Sox may cut ties with Rafael Devers after shocking first base comments

Rafael Devers may actually be playing his cards exactly how he wants to.

There were rumors in spring training that Devers wanted a trade away from the Boston Red Sox when he was demoted to DH-only from his third base role after the Alex Bregman signing.

There are no such rumors at this point, yet, but Devers may know what he's doing.

The Red Sox need a first baseman with Triston Casas out for the season. They seem to want Devers to play first. He doesn't want to.

This is what Devers said earlier on Thursday:

“It was the GM that I spoke with. I’m not sure what he has with me. He played ball and I would like to think he knows that changing positions like that isn’t easy. Now I think they should do their job essentially and hit the market and look for another player (to play first base). I'm not sure why they want me to be in between the way they have me now."

That's pretty wild.

It's one thing to think thoughts like that. It's another to say them out loud.

One smart poster on X recognized what Devers might be trying to do.

I see a lot people don't understand how "leverage" works. Devers was asked to give up 3B to DH and he did. Now they're asking him to play 1B, and he says "No". Devers knows they could always trade him..which he asked for when told to DH! This isn't travel team baseball😂 @WEEI pic.twitter.com/mHzNELvArI

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There are also some calls on social media for Devers to be suspended.

He's not quite pulling a Jimmy Butler, but it's not that far off.

Boston needs Devers' bat in its lineup to reach its goals. But at this point, Devers is shifting toward being a troublemaker.

The Red Sox need to figure this out in a hurry, or a breakup could be on its way.

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