David Ortiz weighs in on what went wrong for Rafael Devers in Boston originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz doesn’t seem surprised that Rafael Devers’ tenure with the organization ended poorly.
Devers was traded to the San Francisco Giants amid a tumultuous season in Boston. As the Red Sox front office put it on Monday, the two sides couldn’t “find alignment” after months of disagreements over position changes.
In a recent interview with The Athletic, Ortiz cited poor communication as one of the main reasons for the messy divorce.
“I know the communication between Devers and the Red Sox wasn’t the best at the very beginning,” Ortiz told The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. “But at some point, you have to realize the organization has the power over everyone. They can play you, trade you, let you go. Sometimes, as a young player, it’s hard to understand that. But they have the power to do whatever they want. The only thing you can control is what you do on the field.”
Even Ortiz, a Dominican Republic native, struggled to communicate with his fellow countryman. He often tried to reach out to Devers and offer advice, but was unsuccessful, according to Dominican baseball insider Hector Gomez.
“You can’t imagine how many times I wrote to Devers trying to give him advice, but unfortunately, he has communication problems,” Ortiz said, per Gomez. “He almost never returned my messages, but I don’t blame him. He’s a good guy, but he definitely needs to improve his communication. He should find an advisor to help him with that.”
Ortiz’s illustrious Red Sox career certainly wasn’t drama-free. The three-time World Series champion clashed with the organization on multiple occasions due to contract disputes and disagreements with team management.
The difference from Devers’ situation? According to Ortiz, it’s “maturity.”
“I played for the Red Sox a long time,” Ortiz told The Athletic. “You think everything with me and the Red Sox was roses and flowers? I went through some tough times also. But I was mature enough to understand and keep things internal. Even in the best families, between the best brothers, s— happens. You need to have the maturity to resolve the problems and move on.”
Devers’ relationship with the Red Sox worsened when he was asked to take over for the injured Triston Casas at first base. His outright refusal prompted chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, team president/CEO Sam Kennedy, and owner John Henry to meet him in Kansas City for a face-to-face conversation.
One could surmise that Devers’ $313.5 million contract and the responsibilities that come with it were brought up during that discussion. Ultimately, Devers didn’t acquiesce, and that resulted in his untimely departure.
“The organization is always going to be there. Players come and go. As a player, sometimes you’ve got to put your ego aside and understand that once you get paid, you’ve got to find a way to do what you’re told,” Ortiz told The Athletic. “That’s a message for all young players who think they turn out to be bigger than the game. I’m not saying that Devers was like that. He’s humble. He’s a good kid. But sometimes when you’re young and immature, you (don’t realize that).
“I’m not saying the Red Sox did everything right. But you have to give the club the benefit of the doubt. They’re not trying to make the organization look bad. They’re trying to make good moves that sometimes they don’t have the opportunity to explain.”
Devers is expected to make his Giants debut Tuesday night against the Cleveland Guardians. His first game against his former team is scheduled for Friday, when the Red Sox begin a three-game series against the Giants in San Francisco.
