Matt Vautour: Putting ego over winning is a bad look for Red Sox star

At some point, Rafael Devers needs to realize that the best thing he can do, both for himself and for the Red Sox, is figure out what he can do that will lead to winning more baseball games and prioritize.

If that means attempting to play first base, then grab a mitt and get to it.

This he said, they said stuff between the slugger and the front office is both embarrassing and counterproductive for a team that’s underachieved so far this year.

Maybe the Red Sox communication methods about what position they want him to play haven’t been forthright and clear enough. But it doesn’t matter.

This has to be about what makes the team more likely to make the playoffs and have a shot at winning the World Series, especially for a guy who has already received his big payday.

Devers is not a good defensive third baseman. But he pouted about the Red Sox signing gold-glover Alex Bregman in spring training , which moved him to DH. Devers didn’t want to be just a designated hitter, but he eventually came around and has hit well lately after a slow start.

But he’s pouting again.

The soap opera’s latest episode came on Thursday. With Triston Casas out for the season, the Red Sox don’t have an everyday big-league first baseman. So they asked Devers if he’d be willing to try.

Nobody was forcing him, but somehow daring to even ask him has made Devers’ mad again.

“They had the conversation with me,” Devers said through translator Daveson Perez after the Red Sox’ 5-0 win over the Rangers on Thursday. “I don’t think for me personally it’s the best decision after they asked me to play a different position and I only have two months of playing this position. To all of a sudden have me try to play another position … from my end, it doesn’t seem like a good decision.

“I know I’m a ballplayer,” he added. “But at the same time, they can’t expect me to play every single position out there.”

Every single position out there? It’s not like the Red Sox had asked him to catch when Connor Wong was hurt, or pitch the seventh inning to solve the team’s bullpen issues.

DH is technically a different position, but with 4,211 career regular-season plate appearances coming into the year, he didn’t need to acquire a new skill or anything.

And the Red Sox aren’t asking him to move to the outfield. First base used to be the spot where a team would stick the not-so-mobile slugger, so he didn’t have to move much.

And there’s abundant precedent of guys moving from third base to first effectively. Plus, it’s not like it’s been years since Devers played the field. There are plenty of players who would have said ‘yes’ without hesitation. Not Devers.

“They told me I’m a little hard-headed,” Devers said. “They already asked me to change once and this time I don’t think I can be as flexible.”

On May 8, that’s pretty selfish.

With Casas out, the Red Sox are down a big bat and have no full-time first baseman. If Devers could make a sincere effort to play first, the Red Sox would have much better roster flexibility. Masataka Yoshida could play some DH. Any one of a number of other players could get a half rest day playing DH, too.

Devers isn’t the first Boston player to wage an uncomfortable verbal battle with the Red Sox. But usually, those are about a contract.

Most of the fallings out have come over a player believing that the team wasn’t giving them either the dollars or the years that they were worth. Roger Clemens, Mo Vaughn and Xander Bogaerts all left town feeling the Red Sox disrespected them as free agents.

Devers can’t say that. While the Red Sox were low-balling everyone else, they gave their 28-year-old slugger a deal worth $330 million. Money doesn’t buy happiness, but winning should take care of making him happy. He’s going to be here until 2033. So he better figure it out.

The Red Sox are trying to win. Positioning himself as an impediment to that only makes Devers look bad.

If he wants to be mad at the team or Breslow or Alex Cora, so be it. But he owes the rest of the guys in the clubhouse whatever he can do to win.

Don’t sign Sam Bennett

The Bruins will go into free agency next month with some money to spend and a need at center.

Still, even though he’s generally considered the top free-agent pivot, the Bruins shouldn’t sign Sam Bennett.

While he’s clearly a good player and a top-six center, Bennett has long been a cheap-shot artist. After his sucker punch knocked Brad Marchand out of action last year, his elbow to the head put Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz into concussion protocol.

The Bruins could use his production, but at 28, he’ll want a big contract and his style of play isn’t likely to age well over a long contract. Plus, as they’re building the team’s identity, they can do better.

It’d be one thing if he laid hits and answered the bell, but Bennett’s reputation is to take the cheap shot and then refuse to tangle with anyone looking for justice. After hitting Stolarz, he didn’t even speak to the media afterward.

Tough is good. Physical is good. Sam Bennett is a weasel.

Real Jeopardy! Clue

Sports clues from actual editions of America’s favorite quiz show. As always, mind the date:

CATEGORY: BALTIMORE $500: Oct. 26, 2001:

Horse racing’s Preakness Stakes runs each May at this racetrack

— Answer below

The Top 5

Top 5 New York Tabloid Covers from this series

Whether somebody likes the New York teams or hates them, everyone can appreciate the brash, cornball creativity of the back pages on the New York Post and the Daily News.

Naturally, they’ve been Knick-centric this week:

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Tabloid Back Pages — NY Post back pageNY Post

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Today in Boston Sports History

May 9

Cam Neely scored twice and John Carter had the other. Andy Moog made 12 saves and the Bruins defeated the Washington Capitals to sweep the Wales Conference finals and send the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Finals.