The San Francisco Giants launched their latest addition to the native media on Tuesday, as three-time All-Star Rafael Devers held his introductory press convention hours earlier than he was slated to make his group debut in opposition to the Cleveland Guardians. Devers, for these questioning, is anticipated to be within the lineup, batting third and beginning at designated hitter.
The Giants, in fact, obtained Devers as a part of a five-player commerce with the Boston Crimson Sox on Sunday night time. That commerce was seemingly precipitated by Devers’ refusal to take up first base following Triston Casas’ season-ending harm. Devers had beforehand clashed with Boston’s entrance workplace after the Crimson Sox signed Alex Bregman to take over third base with out clearing it with him.
Rafael Devers commerce grades: Giants get ‘B’ for large swing, Crimson Sox escape drama partially of their very own making
R.J. Anderson
Devers was, predictably, requested a number of questions on his falling out with the Crimson Sox. He elected in opposition to criticizing or taking potshots at his outdated group. As an alternative, he opened his portion of the presser by thanking the Boston group for signing him and starting his skilled profession. When Devers was requested about clearing up any misconceptions about how his tenure in Boston ended, he responded by saying by way of an interpreter: “That is prior to now. I am shifting ahead. I actually do not need to discuss it.”
As for the matter of Devers’ place with the Giants, he expressed a willingness to do regardless of the membership’s braintrust need from him.
“They’re the boys in cost,” he mentioned by way of an interpreter. “I’m right here to play wherever they need me to play.”
Giants supervisor Bob Melvin mentioned that Devers will see time at each DH and first base, the place Wilmer Flores and Dominic Smith have been taking many of the taking part in time not too long ago.
President of baseball operations Buster Posey, who burdened repeatedly that Devers is “a dude,” mentioned conversations between the Giants and the Crimson Sox started three or 4 weeks in the past earlier than heating up.
“I used to be texting with (Crimson Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow) at this time and we had been simply thanking one another for the candor and respect that went into this negotiation,” Posey mentioned.
Devers, 28, appeared in 73 video games with the Crimson Sox this season, hitting .272/.401/.504 with 15 dwelling runs and 18 doubles. His 153 OPS+ would symbolize a brand new single-season greatest for him if he is in a position to preserve that mark. His contributions have been value an estimated 2.3 Wins Above Alternative, in accordance with the calculations housed at Baseball Reference.
