...
By Peter Chawaga
Contributing Sports Writer
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
The San Francisco Giants shocked the baseball world well before the trade deadline when they acquired superstar slugger Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox.
The Giants landed Devers in the midst of a $313 million contract, as he was slashing .272/.401/.504 on the year and just as the team completed a sweep of the rival New York Yankees. But his offensive production has dropped considerably since he arrived in San Francisco and some questions about his commitment to placating team wishes have now resurfaced as well.
Devers was dealt by the Red Sox after several refusals to switch positions for the team and executives defended the move as one that would help instill more of a winning culture in the franchise. After joining the Giants, Devers voiced clear openness to moving to first base for the first time in his career and immediately began working out at the position, suggesting those issues were behind him.
Read More on MLB
But Red Sox broadcaster Will Flemming has now reported that Devers skipped an early first base workout with Giants coach Will Clark, suggesting he isn't as committed to the change as the Giants might have hoped.
...
"They don't yet know what is going to happen with the player," Flemming told WEEI. "I was there the second day Will Clark was there to work on ground balls with him on first base and Raffy didn't show up. So, that's the person that these guys have been dealing with for a long time."
Devers is slashing just .240/.348/.387 with two homers since joining the Giants and an inability to attend expected workouts would add to concerns about his offensive production with the new team. With eight years to go on his contract, though, these returns are still quite early.
But if questions about his willingness to acquiesce to team requests are following him directly from the Red Sox to the Giants, Devers could be off to a rough start with his new team.
More MLB: Will Clarke Schmidt Injury Finally Force Yankees to Make Trade They Sorely Need?
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines