The speedy response to the commerce of Rafael Devers to the Giants — and comprehensible one for Crimson Sox followers watching one other franchise cornerstone traded away — was that when the staff airplane took off Sunday night time for Seattle with out Devers on it, the Crimson Sox’s season took off with it. And perhaps it is going to end up that it did.
The remainder of the season, and never simply this weekend’s collection between the Crimson Sox and Giants that is sort of a present from the schedule-makers, will tell us what to consider all that. However right here’s what I take into consideration a commerce that I can guarantee you grew to become inevitable from the time Devers refused to play first base after Triston Casas bought damage: I feel the Crimson Sox are about to turn out to be one of the crucial attention-grabbing tales in baseball the remainder of the best way, and never as a result of they could fall to the underside of the American League East. Once more. Rafael Devers, as proficient as he’s, had been making no secret — together with in entrance of his teammates — of what he thought concerning the folks in cost, from the time the Crimson Sox signed Alex Bregman and Devers realized he didn’t have the third-base job for all times at Fenway Park. Now they transfer on and he strikes on to San Francisco, the place he’s now determined he’ll play wherever requested.
However the Crimson Sox have been scorching when Devers was nonetheless with them, all through final weekend after they shocked the Yankees with a three-game sweep at Fenway Park. They managed to remain scorching sufficient by successful two of three from the Mariners in Seattle. And in the event that they do one thing aside from stagger by the remainder of this nine-game West Coast journey — with the Giants and Angels nonetheless to return — earlier than ending out June at residence towards the Blue Jays, perhaps they’ll present everyone, together with themselves, that they’re nonetheless a playoff staff even with out Devers as their DH.
“As shocked as they have been on the airplane,” O’Brien mentioned, “the gamers got here to grips with it loads sooner than anyone anticipated. It was like, ‘OK — what’s completed is completed. Let’s go.’”
The gamers weren’t the one ones shocked by the information that Devers, nonetheless within the early innings of a 10-year, $313.5 million contract, had been traded for pitchers Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison and prospects James Tibbs III and Jose Bello. Devers had been Boston’s finest hitter because the staff’s final surprising commerce, the one which despatched Mookie Betts — as gifted an all-around participant because the Crimson Sox have ever had — to the Dodgers in 2020. Ever since that one, the Crimson Sox grew to become much more acquainted with final place within the AL East than the World Sequence, regardless that they’ve received extra Sequence (4) than anyone on this century.
Now they’ve been reimagined but once more, on the fly, about to be constructed round youngsters like Mayer (the house run he hit towards the Mariners Wednesday was his fourth since being known as up) and Roman Anthony, thought of the highest prospect within the sport earlier than his callup from Triple-A Worcester, and Kristian Campbell. They’ve Crochet, who’s been sensible as one of many true aces wherever this yr, and have watched Aroldis Chapman, at 37, as soon as once more dominating ninth innings. They usually certain nonetheless have Alex Cora as supervisor.
Now they’ve to point out they’ll rating with out Devers as soon as Bregman, who had carried their offense as a lot as Devers did, is wholesome once more. They will get him again quickly, they’ll get again Masataka Yoshida, a forgotten man at Fenway Park for some time, as nicely. They’re additionally getting Wilyer Abreu, one in every of their finest all-around gamers a yr in the past, again this weekend in San Francisco.
Right here is one thing Story, who survived a dreadful hunch earlier within the season, mentioned about his Wednesday afternoon residence run towards the Mariners, and the Crimson Sox successful one other collection:
“It’s massive,” mentioned Story. “Form of a pivotal level in our season. It may go somehow, and nonetheless a whole lot of baseball to be performed. We felt like we responded nicely after one thing so massive and form of surprising.”
The context of what occurred with Devers is clear, and never simply because it occurred within the lengthy shadow of the Betts’ commerce, one which will probably be at Fenway Park ceaselessly: The Crimson Sox did appear to have discovered their footing after what felt like a couple of hundred one-run losses this season. That they had simply swept the Yankees, making it 5 out of six towards New York this season.
Story is correct: The Sox’s season may go both approach from right here. For now, that season goes and can discover Devers, backside of the primary, Friday night time, digging in on the plate as a Big. Everyone dig in. That is going to be good. Possibly the Crimson Sox nonetheless could be, too.
