Rafael Devers Reportedly 'Was Not the Type of Person' Red Sox 'Wanted to Keep Around'

The Boston Red Sox decided Rafael Devers wasn't the "type of person" the team "wanted to keep around" before trading him to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

"Nothing says you're trying to compete right now, like trading a three-time All Star, who's in the midst of one of the best seasons of his career," Passan told Monday's SportsCenter. "But, you know, aside from that, everything's just fine and dandy in Boston. This is what happened, and it's hard for some Red Sox fans to understand, and I get why. In the models that these teams use to help guide their decision-making processes, there are deals that show up that in the real world don't look like something that teams would theoretically do.

"The Red Sox, though, are a very model heavy team right now. And the model said that a $250 million first baseman/DH who's going to be under contract through his age-36 season, who also has been a malcontent, who has not wanted to switch positions to first base and help out this year was not the type of person that they wanted to keep around.

"We're going to be arguing about this one for a long time. It's like a combination of the Luka Dončić trade in terms of, 'Oh my God, was that real?' And the Mookie Betts trade in terms of, 'Oh my God, what did the Red Sox just do?' And so this is one of those deals that's going to take years to really figure out what the effects are. But the effects on the 2025 Red Sox are horrendous, and the effects on the 2025 Giants are fantastic."

On Sunday, the Red Sox dealt Devers to the Giants in exchange for left-handed starter Kyle Harrison, right-handed pitcher Jordan Hicks, outfield prospect James Tibbs III and minor league right-hander Jose Bello.

Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reported that the relationship between Boston and the slugger was viewed as "an unsalvageable situation for both parties" and he was frustrated with mixed messaging from “different voices” within the organization.

The Red Sox also felt the three-time All-Star's massive contract came with "responsibilities to do what is right for the team and that Devers did not live up to those responsibilities," per Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe.

San Francisco will be taking on the entirety of the remaining $250 million on the 10-year, $313.5 million extension Devers signed with Boston in 2023.

Ahead of the 2025 season, the Red Sox approached him regarding a change from playing third base after signing Alex Bregman in free agency. Devers resisted the move at first before eventually agreeing to the switch.

Boston later came to him to request another position change after first baseman Triston Casas suffered a season-ending knee injury, but Devers declined to do so.

The 28-year-old started his 2025 campaign on a high note before he was moved to San Francisco, hitting .272 with 15 home runs and 58 RBI to go along with an impressive .905 OPS.

Despite Devers' production at the plate, his relationship with the Red Sox seemed to be a factor in the decision to trade him.