The Boston Red Sox trading star infielder Rafael Devers at some point down the road “isn’t all that far-fetched,” according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.
“Even if [Alex] Bregman exercises his opt-out and departs as a free agent, the Sox can play top infield prospect Marcelo Mayer at third, leaving Devers without a position and possibly without a team,” Rosenthal posited. “His contract does not include a no-trade clause, only a $2 million assignment bonus if the Sox send him to another club.”
For now, a trade is probably a long shot.
Devers is back to his usual self after a brutal start. Through 42 games, he has a .280/.398/.490 slash line along with seven home runs and 31 RBI.
As Rosenthal argued, the 10-year, $313.5 million extension he signed could age better than expected with Juan Soto and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. both getting $500-plus million. The Chicago Cubs’ Kyle Tucker could join that club when he becomes a free agent.
An ownership regime that will never live down the Mookie Betts trade might also be wary of cutting bait too early on another homegrown cornerstone.
Having said that, Devers’ relationship with the organization appears to be fraying a bit after he bristled at yet another position switch this season. It wasn’t a great sign when team owner John Henry felt compelled to speak with the three-time All-Star directly.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today wrote Sunday how “the next step could be Devers formally requesting a trade, which likely would not be strongly considered until the offseason.”
Because of his production and what he means to the franchise, you’d consider a trade to still be unlikely — at least within a time frame close to the present. But the odds of a sudden exit by Devers have at least gone up thanks to the off-field drama this year.
