Rafael Devers Offers Optimistic View Heading Into Red Sox Season
After finishing last in the American League East last season and missing the playoffs for the second straight year, the Boston Red Sox enter 2024 with a focus on winning.
Rafael Devers is entering his eighth season with Boston and is optimistic about the state of the Red Sox.
“I can’t tell you what’s going to happen in the future,” Devers told reporters through translator Carlos Villoria, per team-provided video. “I think we’re in a good position. We’re all healthy, that’s one of the main things we’re all happy about. … I can’t tell you right now if we’re going to win or we’re going to lose. There’s a long season ahead of us.”
One player who will be starting the season healthy for the first time in a Red Sox uniform is Trevor Story, and Devers is excited to play with the shortstop.
“It’s great to have Trevor Story beside me,” Devers said. “We know the kind of athlete he is and how good he is, not only defensively, but as a teammate. I’m very excited to play alongside him and to be able to play a lot of games beside him and see what we can do.”
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As for the rest of the roster and lineup, Devers was sure to point out he and his teammates have no control over what the front office does but believes they want to win as much as the players.
“I know what we needed last year. I know what we need this year. A lot of teams need a lot of players and additions,” Devers said. “I can’t control what they do. I just control what I do. Just to go out there each day to give my 100 percent and give my best version of myself and try and help my team win.”
Devers added: “They need to make an adjustment to help us players to be in a better position to win. Everybody in this organization wants to win and we as players want to win. I think they need to make an adjustment to help us win. I’m not saying the team is not OK right now, but they need to be conscious of what our weaknesses are and what we need right now.”
Despite not making the playoffs the past two seasons, Devers said he isn’t frustrated.
“Not frustrated at all,” Devers said. “Just things at the end of the year when you go home early. When you know you had the chance to be in the race to be at least competing to make a playoff run, and they don’t give you the push and the help that the team needed at the time, you get a little sting or something like that.”
He does hope the Red Sox ownership is more aggressive if the team is in the hunt for a playoff spot.
“I think they’re thinking more in the future,” he said. “Last year when we had an opportunity to do something and be in the race, nothing happened. I felt like they were thinking in the future, and when those opportunities come along, we need to be more aggressive and try and embrace those opportunities.”
Devers added that he can’t comment on whether or not trading Chris Sale and Alex Verdugo will work out in the Red Sox’s favor and that he’s focused on helping the players that are in Boston.
“What I can do is help the young kids that came in to become better players and help them adapt to be successful.”
As one of the leaders in the clubhouse, Devers said he’s had conversations with Red Sox manager Alex Cora throughout last season about how the team could be better, but he didn’t divulge the specifics, stating they were internally between the two of them.
One thing Devers did share, is his feelings about the organization.
“I care deeply about this organization. I love this organization so much,” he said. “I was us to win. I want us to win right now. I want to win in the future.”