Chaim Bloom on trading Rafael Devers: ‘Not on our radar. He’s a guy we want to build around’
Rafael Devers is eligible for free agency at the end of the 2023 season. The All-Star third baseman hopes to discuss a longterm deal with the club. Chaim Bloom would like to build around the power hitter.
Bloom was asked on Thursday is he’d entertain trading Devers if both sides aren’t able to get a deal done.
“I don’t generally think we or any organization should be in the business of saying, ‘OK, I can guarantee you X or Y.’ I think a lot of players I’ve had this conversation would agree. In theory, there’s always something somebody could put in front of you that would be stupid to walk away from,” Bloom at Boston’s end of year press conference.
“But that isn’t on our radar. He’s No. 1 first and foremost, he’s a guy that we want to build around. And he’s hugely important to what we’re doing. We hope he’s here not just next year but in the years to come. I think we’re in a position now, we expect and fully intend to be able to put a really good team on the field that can win next year. That’s really important. And I don’t see how we make life easier for ourselves by him not being part of that, to say nothing of the years to come,” added Bloom.
Devers had another solid season at the plate hitting .295 with 42 doubles, 27 home runs, one triple, 88 RBIs with a .879 OPS in 141 games. His numbers did go down in the second half of the season, but he was dealing with a hamstring injury.
Bloom has said that re-signing Xander Bogaerts is the organization’s No. 1 priority this offseason. Devers will be a priority as well, but the clock is ticking and the Red Sox have a lot of work to do this winter.
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