Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers ready to 'help the team win'

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On Thursday afternoon, Rafael Devers cleared the air when he spoke to the Red Sox media following an intrasquad game.

Devers, who is expected to make his Grapefruit League debut on Saturday afternoon against the Braves, is preparing for the regular season, where he’ll likely be the designated hitter.

“It’s not my decision. I don’t call the shots around here,” Devers said through a team translator. “I’ll go out there and do what I need to do.”

The slugger said he spoke with Craig Breslow and Alex Cora a few weeks ago regarding his role.

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“We spoke already, and I'm good to do whatever they want me to do,” Devers said. “I'm here to help. I’ve already spoken with them about that, and they know where I stand, but I’m just ready to play.”

Devers confirmed he would be in the lineup on Opening Day in Texas, but he wouldn’t confirm if the team has decided to keep him as the designated hitter on a full-time basis.

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“I spoke with them,” said Devers. “I’m not going to share what we talked about here, just because it would make me come off … Those are private conversations. I told them everything from my point of view, how I see things, and they know that.”

There’s speculation that Devers’ frustration over moving off third base after the club signed Alex Bregman could have resulted in him potentially asking for a trade.

“According to sources, Devers was angry enough about the situation to consider asking for a trade,” wrote MassLive’s Sean McAdam. “And it’s possible that, as part of his ‘private conversations” with Craig Breslow and Co., he indeed relayed that. Devers is savvy enough to know the Red Sox are not about to disclose any such request, since, if it ever came to a point where a trade was seriously considered, the Sox would lose leverage if Devers was rather publicly shooting his way out of town.”

It’s highly doubtful the Red Sox would even consider moving their All-Star slugger. Devers is entering his second season of a 10-year, $313.5 million contract he signed with the club prior to the 2024 season. The probability that the Sox could move him and get fair value back in a trade would be considerably low.

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The notion of a Devers trade should be dismissed, and based on his public comments to the media on Thursday, he’s willing to do whatever the Sox need him to do this season.

“I just want to help the team win,” he said. “At the end of the day, whatever position I’m playing, I always take these things as a competition and as a way to get better. That’s how I see it; I’m ready to help the team win.”