PHILADELPHIA — Just over five weeks after the Red Sox traded Rafael Devers to the Giants, he made his much-anticipated first base debut for San Francisco on Tuesday night.
Devers, who has served as the Giants designated hitter in his first 28 games for the club (and didn’t see an inning in the field for the Red Sox before the deal) is starting at first and hitting third in Atlanta on Tuesday night. It’s the first time he has ever played first base in his career.
Devers quite famously refused to start taking ground balls at first base after they asked him to do so in the wake of Triston Casas’ season-ending knee injury in early May. Angered by the club’s decision to “go back on their word” and move him from third base to DH after signing Alex Bregman during spring training, Devers started a public feud with chief baseball officer Craig Breslow that necessitated a May sitdown with principal owner John Henry in Kansas City. Eventually, the Red Sox, citing a lack of “alignment” with Devers, traded him to the Giants in a stunning blockbuster on June 15. Boston acquired pitchers Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison and prospects James Tibbs III and Jose Bello in the deal.
Immediately after arriving in San Francisco, Devers changed his tune and said he’d be willing to play first base for the Giants. He began taking grounders at the position before his San Francisco debut.
“I’m here to give my 100%,” Devers said, via translator, on June 17. “I don’t put any ‘buts.’ They’re the men in charge. I’m here to play wherever they want me to play.”
The Giants, who have platooned Dominic Smith and Wilmer Flores at the position for weeks, were confident in Devers’ ability to move across the diamond after logging nearly 8,300 career innings at third in Boston.
“If you can play third, you can play first,” said Giants manager Bob Melvin. “He has done a great job at third before. I don’t think it’s going to be too difficult for him. More than anything, the fact he hasn’t played in the field this year, we have to take our time working him in. It’s a new position, so we’ll take it day-to-day.”
Devers has struggled so far as a Giant, hitting just .219 with two homers, six doubles, 10 RBIs and a .667 OPS in 29 games before Tuesday. The Red Sox, playing in Philadelphia, have moved on. Asked about Devers playing first for the Giants before Tuesday’s game, manager Alex Cora didn’t want to touch the subject.
“I don’t want to talk about the Giants,” he said.
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