‘Reached an inflection point’: Red Sox management explains decision to trade Rafael Devers

BOSTON — Red Sox President Sam Kennedy and Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow hosted a Zoom press conference on Monday night, explaining their decision to trade 3x All-Star and 2018 World Series Champion Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants.

“This decision was not taken lightly nor did it come suddenly," Kennedy told a virtual room of reporters. "We obviously over the last week or so reached an inflection point and as difficult as that inflection point was...we acted boldly and decisively and we came to the very difficult decision to make a deal that we think serves the best interests of the Boston Red Sox in the short term and in the long term.”

Devers, who currently leads the team in batting average, home runs, and RBIs, was traded for right-hander Jordan Hicks, lefty Kyle Harrison, outfield prospect James Tibbs III and minor league righty Jose Bello.

Hicks has a 1-5 record and an ERA of 6.47 with the Giants this season. The 23-year-old Harrison has a 4.56 ERA over 8 starts, but has high upside, while Tibbs III and Bello will spend time in the minors.

Breslow admitted that on paper, the trade does look a little questionable.

“I acknowledge that on paper we’re not going to have the same lineup that we did but this isn’t about the game that is played on paper, this is about the game that’s played on the field,” he said.

Breslow elaborated that management is "trying to put together the most functional and complete team that we can.”

The Sox currently sit 4th in the AL East standings, but are currently riding a 5-game winning streak, including a sweep of the New York Yankees.

Breslow said moving on from Devers will give more opportunity for younger players in the lineup.

“We needed to create a more functional roster and give certain guys more playing time," he said.

The new-look Red Sox will play the next 10 games on the West Coast, starting Monday night in Seattle against the Mariners.

Boston will play at San Francisco on Friday.

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