Rafael Devers may have stood up a San Francisco Giants legend shortly after the slugger was traded, but it sounds like there is a reasonable explanation for what happened.
On Monday, Red Sox radio announcer Will Flemming revealed that the Giants tried to have Devers get together with former San Francisco first basemen Will Clark to have Devers practice playing the position, but the three-time All-Star did not show up.
As it turns out, Clark addressed the alleged no-show during an appearance on the No Filter Network last week. Clark said he was supposed to work with Devers the first weekend after the Giants acquired the 28-year-old in a blockbuster trade. San Francisco was playing the Boston Red Sox in that series, and Clark says Devers did not want to take reps at first base with his former team breathing down his neck.
“Friday, Saturday, Sunday, he did not come out early, at all. Period, not all. In fact, he didn’t even hit on the field,” Clark said, via Mike Axisa of CBS Sports. Everybody’s like, ‘Oh my God, I’m so sorry, Will. I’m so sorry. … I know what the (expletive) happened. I said, he didn’t want to go out and be at first base and be 20 feet in front of their freaking dugout with what went on in Boston, and now he’s working with me at first base. He didn’t want to have to go through all that (expletive) through the press in the media. So, I completely understand.”
The Red Sox traded Devers to the Giants in a stunning blockbuster deal last month. During his introductory press conference with his new team, Devers said he was open to playing first base or any other position the Giants wanted him to play.
Devers was angry with the Red Sox when they signed Alex Bregman over the winter and moved Devers from third base to DH. After Triston Casas suffered a season-ending injury in May, the Red Sox approached Devers about the idea of playing first base. Devers refused and publicly bashed the team’s front office.
That is why fans in Boston were unhappy when Devers said he would play first with the Giants.
Clark is a six-time All-Star and former Gold Glove Award winner. His No. 22 jersey is retired by the Giants. While Devers has yet to play first base for the Giants, it sounds like there is a chance he might work with Clark at some point in the future.
