By Jesus Perez Vichot (Chuchi)
Most likely, Rafael Devers would not have preferred his teammate Xander Bogaerts to leave the Boston team. But the truth is that by signing the shortstop with the Padres for $280 million, he gives the star third baseman a better chance of receiving a mega-contract from the Red Sox.
Devers lives up to his nickname of “Carita” in the red-legged franchise, he is the new face of this club, without a doubt. In a publication by Jon Heyman for The New York Post, he refers to the current situation of Devers and, among other things, comments that the 26-year-old left-handed hitter who had already received an offer from the Red Sox that was around $200 million, he has it all with him to reach an agreement with this club for no less than $300 million.
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Devers is the number one priority for the Boston team this offseason. According to Heyman, the director of baseball for this franchise said: “Our efforts are only intensifying, but it is something that we have really wanted to do for a while and hopefully we can find that way.” This means that they will go all out to retain Devers, who is four years younger than Bogaerts and deserves a big contract for his performance and talent.
In six seasons in the Majors (always with the Red Sox) Devers He posts a .283/.342/.512/.854 offensive line with 187 doubles, 139 home runs and 455 RBIs. In 2019 he led the American League in doubles (54) and total bases (359). This year he hit 27 home runs, drove in 88 runs and his batting average was .295. The two-time All Star and 2018 World Series winner also won the Silver Slugger Award in 2021.
Of the position players ending up as free agents this offseason, Devers is probably the most sought after. Several teams are interested in his services, but everything seems to indicate that he will stay at home at Fenway Park and receive a juicy multi-year contract.
