SEATTLE — Manager Alex Cora addressed his players after the Red Sox sent slugger Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in a shocking blockbuster trade Sunday evening.
“We’ve gotta keep going,” Cora said he told his players. “That’s the bottom line. We put ourselves in a good spot, right? We have played good baseball for an extended period of time. Now we have to do it without Raffy. But at the same time, we added some pieces that we do believe they’re gonna help us, especially obviously in the pitching department.”
The Red Sox got the Giants to take on all $271.153 million of the remaining money on Devers’ contract. Boston also acquired pitchers Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison along with two prospects.
“That’s something that we’ve been talking about throughout the offseason and early in the season — we have to pitch,” Cora said. “And these two guys, in my opinion, they’re gonna impact the big league team at one point.”
Harrison was optioned to Triple-A Worcester. Hicks is on the 15-day IL with toe inflammation but he’s expected back soon. He’ll throw a live BP in Boston in the upcoming days.
Cora was asked why he thinks things didn’t work out with Devers just two years into a 10-year deal.
“There’s some reasons that it didn’t work out, right?” Cora said. “And I don’t want to pinpoint stuff, whatever. But the last few months hasn’t been easy, right? We made decisions in the offseason. Circumstances have changed the last month. And that’s a decision we made as an organization. Now Raffy’s gonna be with the Giants. And like I said, we have to turn the page and be ready for this team.”
Devers was angry during spring training when the Red Sox asked him to become a full-time DH after promising him he would be their long-term third baseman when he signed his extension in January 2023.
He then refused to play first base when chief baseball officer Craig Breslow asked him to try it out after first baseman Triston Casas ruptured his patellar tendon and underwent season-ending surgery.
“Obviously the guy means so much to that group,” Cora said about Devers. “He means so much to the organization, to the city of Boston. I’m not gonna hide it. But at the same time, we gotta show up. We’re playing good baseball. They (Seattle) are one of the teams that are ahead of us. So try to win.”
Rookie Kristian Campbell, who has struggled defensively at second base, served as the DH on Monday. Devers had started Boston’s first 73 games at DH.
“Raffy Devers is Raffy Devers,” Cora said. “He’s a special hitter and we all know that. But there’s an opportunity for other guys to get at-bats and contribute.”
Devers boarded the plane for Seattle on Sunday. But the Red Sox pulled him off right before takeoff.
“He shook our hands and took off,” Cora said.
The Red Sox then took off for a cross-country flight. Cora agreed the flight did feel a little weird at the beginning.
“Then after that, it’s business as usual,” Cora said. “Coaches had to prepare for the series. The boys, they played cards and obviously we had their conversations. But it’s a long flight anyways. Obviously the news came up early and then after that, I don’t wanna say business as usual, but it was a regular flight.”
Cora said he was aware of a potential trade when the team was headed to the airport.
“We always have conversations and had an idea of what was going on, obviously,” Cora said. “But at the same time, it’s not a given. It’s not 100% that it’s gonna happen. But the front office, ownership and the group, they do an amazing job keeping the lines of communication and telling me what’s going on.”