Opinion: The Boston Red Sox are better since they traded Rafael Devers

Rafael Devers (D. Benjamin Miller, Wikimedia Commons)

When the Boston Red Sox made a blockbuster trade with the San Francisco Giants in the middle of June, the initial reaction by many was the fact that Rafael Devers of Sanchez, Dominican Republic would be an immediate impact player for the Giants. There was also a belief that the Red Sox would regress as a unit.

So far, Devers has not lived up to expectations. Devers is only batting .231 (40 hits in 173 at bats), and the Giants have not made a significant progression in the National League West. They are now one game below .500 and are nine games back of the division leading Los Angeles Dodgers. When the trade was made, the Giants were at 41 wins and 31 losses and two games back of the Dodgers for the division lead. Since the trade, the Giants have a record of 18 wins and 29 losses, 11 games below the .500 mark.

When the Red Sox traded Devers, they were fourth in the American League East at 37 wins and 36 losses. Now they are 65 wins and 55 losses, and have gone from one win above .500 to 10 games above .500. Boston is now in second place in the American League East, and four and a half games back of the division leading Toronto Blue Jays. Boston is also in a playoff spot as they have the second best wildcard record in the junior circuit.

So why are the Red Sox better without Devers? One reason is because Devers was not happy about being the everyday designated hitter for the Red Sox this season. He made his opinion known that he was not happy that Alex Bregman would be the everyday Red Sox player at the hot corner. Ironically in San Francisco, the Giants have Matt Chapman and Devers has not played third base at all with the Giants (38 games at designated hitter and nine games at first base). Sometimes teams just do better when there is less complaining in the clubhouse. That has been the clear case with the Red Sox this season.