The Red Sox asked Devers to play first base after telling him he’d only be a designated hitter this season. He declined, but first base may be the Giants’ biggest need. Would he have a

The move came as a shock to Red Sox fans still salty over the salary dump of Mookie Betts in February 2020 — after he won the 2018 AL MVP award — in a trade that yielded little in return. The team also let Xander Bogaerts leave as a free agent before deciding Devers was the player they were willing to invest in.

The Boston Red Sox fought their way back into the postseason race, but then traded away their best hitter. They could swing a trade to land his replacement.