The title is: “Don’t force me to become the second Alex Bregman. Meet these three conditions and I’ll stay…” — According to sources, player Rafael Devers issued an ultimatum to the Boston Red Sox management. He stated he still wanted to contribute to the team, but would only agree to stay if his three conditions were fully met. However, the most surprising development was the brief five-word response from Red Sox president Sam Kennedy, a response that reportedly caused Devers to reconsider his demands.
In the turbulent landscape of Major League Baseball, few stories capture the drama of player-team dynamics quite like the saga involving Rafael Devers and the Boston Red Sox. Devers, the powerful third baseman who has been a cornerstone of the franchise since his debut in 2017, found himself at the center of intense speculation during the 2025 season. Signed to a landmark 10-year, $313.5 million extension in early 2023—the largest in Red Sox history—Devers was expected to anchor the lineup for years to come.
Yet, by mid-2025, tensions had escalated to the point where reports surfaced of an ultimatum delivered by the star slugger to team management.
According to multiple sources close to the situation, Devers privately conveyed a strong message to Red Sox executives: “Don’t force me to become the second Alex Bregman.” The reference was pointed and personal. Alex Bregman, the veteran infielder who had won a Gold Glove at third base with the Houston Astros, signed a three-year, $120 million deal with Boston prior to the 2025 campaign. The contract featured significant deferrals and player opt-outs after each of the first two seasons, giving Bregman flexibility.
The signing came amid whispers that the Red Sox envisioned a positional shuffle, potentially shifting Devers—who had long insisted on remaining at third base—away from his preferred spot to accommodate the newcomer.
Devers’ frustration stemmed from earlier discussions where the team approached him about transitioning to first base or designated hitter duties. In May 2025, following public comments where he criticized chief baseball officer Craig Breslow for suggesting such a move, the situation boiled over. Red Sox owner John Henry, president Sam Kennedy, and Breslow flew to Kansas City for a closed-door meeting with Devers in an attempt to mend fences. Devers later recounted telling Henry that he might consider first base “eventually,” but emphasized it wasn’t his responsibility to cover for injuries elsewhere on the roster.
The clubhouse largely rallied behind him, with former players and teammates noting that Devers’ bat was paramount to winning, regardless of defensive concerns.
The ultimatum reportedly crystallized around three key conditions Devers presented for him to commit long-term to Boston. While exact details remained closely guarded, sources indicated they centered on assurances about his defensive role, input on roster construction to support his offensive production, and possibly adjustments to his contract or workload to preserve his health and performance. Devers emphasized his desire to stay and contribute, underscoring his loyalty to the organization that developed him into a three-time All-Star and a consistent MVP candidate.
He had no interest in being relegated to a secondary position, drawing a direct parallel to Bregman, who had expressed willingness to play wherever needed but whose arrival had sparked the positional debate.
The most intriguing twist came in the form of Sam Kennedy’s response. The Red Sox president, known for measured and diplomatic public statements, delivered a concise five-word reply that sources say shifted the dynamic: “We need alignment to win.” This brief utterance, devoid of confrontation or concession, reportedly prompted Devers to pause and reflect on his stance. Kennedy’s words highlighted the organization’s priority on team culture and collective success over individual preferences—a theme he reiterated in later comments about the eventual resolution of the impasse.
Despite the momentary reconsideration, alignment proved elusive. By June 2025, the Red Sox reached what Kennedy described as an “inflection point.” Unable to bridge the gap on positional flexibility and broader fit, the team made the stunning decision to trade Devers to the San Francisco Giants. In exchange, Boston received prospects including pitcher Kyle Harrison, reliever Jordan Hicks, outfielder James Tibbs III, and minor leaguer Jose Bello. The Giants absorbed the bulk of Devers’ remaining contract, which carried roughly $245 million through 2033, providing Boston with significant financial relief.
The move was framed as a baseball decision aimed at fostering a championship culture where every player embraced whatever role best served the team. Kennedy later explained that the lack of alignment on Devers’ defensive contributions made continuing the partnership untenable. “We couldn’t find alignment with Raffy,” he said in a post-trade press conference.
“We had to act decisively to course correct.” The trade allowed the Red Sox to reallocate resources, though subsequent moves saw much of the return package flipped in further deals—Harrison to the Milwaukee Brewers, Hicks salary-dumped to the Chicago White Sox, and Tibbs traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers—leaving only Bello in the organization by early 2026.
Bregman’s tenure in Boston proved short-lived as well. After a solid but injury-interrupted 2025, he opted out and signed a five-year, $175 million deal with the Chicago Cubs in January 2026, leaving the Red Sox without the third baseman they had prioritized. Critics pointed to the sequence of events as a miscalculation: trading a homegrown star in his prime to accommodate a short-term addition who departed after one year.
Devers, meanwhile, adapted to his new environment in San Francisco, posting respectable numbers in limited action despite the midseason transition. The episode underscored broader themes in modern baseball—positional versatility, contract structures with opt-outs and deferrals, and the delicate balance between star power and team ethos. For Devers, the ultimatum represented a stand for his identity as a third baseman; for the Red Sox, Kennedy’s five-word response encapsulated a philosophy of unity above all.
In retrospect, the drama served as a cautionary tale for franchises navigating high-stakes player relationships. The Red Sox moved forward with renewed flexibility, pursuing a path to contention built on adaptability. Devers continued his career on the West Coast, free from the pressures that had defined his final months in Boston. The brief exchange between player and president, though understated, proved pivotal in a chapter that reshaped both the slugger’s legacy and the team’s direction.
