David Ortiz's message to Red Sox about Rafael Devers drama: ‘They asked for it'

New York Post

2 days ago

Someone is finally on Rafael Devers' side after his refusal to play first base for the Red Sox.
Boston legend David Ortiz has come to Devers' defense after a season-ending injury to first baseman Triston Casas had the team and fans expecting the designated hitter Devers to step in and fill the void.
'He's doing great as the DH. They asked for it, and he's doing great as the DH,' Ortiz told The Associated Press on Monday. 'Once [the] Casas situation goes down … In people's minds, it was: 'Devers goes to first and [Masataka] Yoshida goes to DH and we are a better team'. Yeah, that's what you put in your mind. But guess what? The kid was asked in spring training to just hit and now all of a sudden you want to switch him over. It takes time.'
3 David Ortiz spent 14 seasons with the Red Sox and won the World Series MVP in 2013.
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Devers is in his ninth season with the Red Sox and signed a gargantuan 11-year, $331 million extension in early 2023. He played third base for much of his career but was asked to focus on hitting at the DH position after the team signed infielder Alex Bregman this offseason, stirring up some preseason melodrama.
Ortiz spent 14 of his 20 MLB seasons with the Red Sox, won three World Series and made a Hall of Fame career playing DH while also playing first base over the years.
3 Rafael Devers did not want to play first base when asked to by his team.
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When Casas went down, many expected Devers to shift to a similar role, but the DH responded, 'They can't expect me to play every single position out there. In spring training, they talked to me and basically told me to put away my glove … I don't think it would be an appropriate decision by them to ask me to play another position.'
Focusing on hitting has certainly been working for Devers this season as he's batting .286 with 12 homers and an MLB-leading 52 RBIs.
'We asked him to be the DH. Fully asked him to be the DH,' Ortiz said. 'I remember that conversation in spring training … He's giving you what you asked for.'
3 Rafael Devers leads MLB in RBIs this season.
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While 'Big Papi' recognizes that some flexibility could open things up a bit more for the team, he thinks it's ultimately up to no one but Devers.
'I will say this: At one point, if Devers would like to practice at first base, and would like to go back to playing the whole defense thing, that is all on him,' Ortiz said.