Red Sox
“Will Clark was there to work on ground balls with him at first base, and Raffy didn’t show up. So, that’s the person these guys have been dealing with for a long time.”
Rafael Devers may not be ingratiating himself with the San Francisco Giants.
The former Red Sox slugger said all of the right things last month during his introductory press conference with the Giants when it came to potentially playing first base for his new team.
“They’re the men in charge. I am here to play wherever they want me to play,” Devers said of San Francisco’s top brass about possibly moving him back to the infield. “I’ll give them my best.”
Devers’ comments stood as a drastic course correction from his stance during his final months with Boston, when the former third baseman turned DH refused to move to first base (and subsequently called out management) after Triston Casas suffered a season-ending injury.
But after opting to not move back to the infield for Boston this spring — and drawing the ire of Red Sox legend David Ortiz by not returning his messages — Devers seems to be following a similar script in the Bay Area.
Speaking on WEEI’s “Afternoons” radio show on Monday, Red Sox radio voice Will Flemming shared a story of Devers snubbing Giants great Will Clark on three consecutive days after Clark offered to work with Devers to get him acclimated at first base.
“He’s going to hit home runs, of course he is,” Flemming said of Devers. “They don’t yet know what is going to happen with the player. I was there the second day, Will Clark was there to work on ground balls with him at first base, and Raffy didn’t show up. So, that’s the person these guys have been dealing with for a long time.”
Speaking on the “No Filter” Network last week, Clark confirmed Fleming’s story about Devers.
“Friday, Saturday, Sunday, he did not come out early, at all. Period, not at all. In fact, he didn’t even hit on the field,” Clark said. “Everybody’s like, ‘Oh my God, I’m so sorry, Will. I’m so sorry.’”
Despite the optics of Devers not taking part in the workouts, Clark said that he could see why Devers didn’t want to be spotted working out on the field during his first few days with the Giants — especially with Boston in town.
“I know what the [expletive] happened,” Clark said. “I said, he didn’t want to go out and be at first base and be 20 feet in front of their freaking dugout with what went on in Boston, and now he’s working with me at first base. He didn’t want to have to go through all that [expletive] through the press in the media. So, I completely understand.”
Devers has yet to play an infield position since joining the Giants, who also took on the remainder of the slugger’s 10-year, $313.5 million contract that he initially signed with Boston in January 2023.
In 20 games since joining the Giants, Devers is batting .240 with two home runs and nine RBI to go along with 28 strikeouts in 75 at-bats.
Even though Clark — who posted four top-five finishes in NL MVP voting during his eight-season run with the Giants (1986-93) — gave Devers the benefit of the doubt initially, he said that he’ll change his tune the next time he’s in San Francisco.
“Rafael Devers, the next time I’m in San Francisco, your (expletive) will be on the field at first base, just letting you know that,” Clark said. “Even if I gotta go grab you by the [expletive] back of the neck and drag your ass out there, you will be at first base.”
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