Craig Breslow Says There's a 'Real Chance' Red Sox Win More After Rafael Devers Trade

The Boston Red Sox moved on from one of the faces of their franchise on Sunday, trading Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in one of the more surprising moves in recent memory.

Despite dealing away one of their best hitters, Craig Breslow, the Red Sox's chief baseball officer, thinks the trade could make the team better.

"I do think there's a real chance that at the end of the season, we're looking back and we've won more games than we otherwise would've," he told reporters on a Zoom press conference on Monday.

The trade followed months of disputes between Devers and the Red Sox over his position. He was vocal about his disdain regarding a switch from third base to designated hitter, and more recently, he was upset about a possible change from designated hitter to first base.

"We couldn't find alignment with Raffy," Red Sox president Sam Kennedy told reporters. "It's the truth."

Kennedy also said the disputes between the two sides reached a breaking point “boldly and decisively," which explains the trade happening rather suddenly.

After the trade on Monday, MassLive's Chris Cotillo reported Devers, despite the back and forth with the Red Sox, never requested a trade. During Monday's press conference, Breslow confirmed Devers never requested a trade but said his camp was "open to a fresh start," Cotillo noted.

Ultimately, Devers got a fresh start, and he'll look to make the most of it in San Francisco.

Boston received pitchers Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison plus prospects James Tibbs III and Jose Bello in return for Devers. The Red Sox will also save some money as a result of the trade, as ESPN's Jeff Passan reported the Giants took on the remaining $250 million-plus remaining on Devers' deal.

Devers, who has been with the Red Sox his entire career, has again been a reliable hitter, totaling 15 homers and 58 RBI with a .272 batting average. He should give San Francisco's struggling offense a boost immediately.

His absence in Boston will likely be felt on offense, but Breslow said the trade was about forming a "functional, complete team."

"On paper, we're not going to have the same lineup we had," he said. "But this is about the gameplay on the field."

The Red Sox sit in fourth place in the AL East at 37-36. While they traded their star away, they're not ready to give up on the 2025 season.

"This in no way signifies a waving of the white flag in 2025," Breslow said.