MLB veteran sends strong message to Rafael Devers about team loyalty amid controversial 1B position decision

It has been quite the season for Boston Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers so far this year. After his club signed Alex Bregman, he was unwilling to give up his position at third base and be the team's designated hitter.

However, after some back and forth, he accepted his fate. It took him a bit to get comfortable at the plate, but he has since found his rhythm, only to be asked to switch positions again.

With Triston Casas done for the year, they asked Devers if he would slide over to first base, but he told the team no. People are growing tired of his attitude this season, including former San Francisco Giants slugger Kevin Frandsen.

"At the end of the day, he is your GM, he is your boss, he is going to make these things, and guess what, you're there to win," said Franden.

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Frandsen is not a fan of how Rafael Devers is handling this whole thing. He does not feel the three-time All-Star is being a good teammate with his unwillingness to slide over and help the club.

"You've turned things around, yes, but c'mon dude. If they're asking you to play first base and you're making $30+ million a year, do it for the betterment of your team, do it for your teammates" he added.

Rafael Devers recently met with Red Sox owner John Henry about first base comments

Boston Red Sox - Rafael Devers (Photo via IMAGN)

As the Red Sox started a series against the Kansas City Royals on Friday, team owner John Henry and team CEO Sam Kennedy flew in. They, alongside Alex Cora, met with Rafael Devers about his comments from Thursday.

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The group met in private ahead of Friday's game and has kept quiet about their conversation. Specifics of the conversation were not mentioned, but it is a great place to start.

However, the hole at first base is only getting bigger. They had Romy Gonzalez taking over for Casas, but Gonzalez has been out of the lineup for the last few days now.

There is a chance he could land on the IL, as he is dealing with a back issue. The slugger collided with Texas Rangers first baseman Josh Smith and exited the game shortly after. If he does have to make an IL stint, Boston would be down another first baseman, which would be a huge knock on the club.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom