Toronto Blue Jays spoke to Red Sox about blockbuster trade: report
The Toronto Blue Jays appeared to have been lurking in the shadows as one of their biggest rivals was saying goodbye to the face of their franchise.
On Sunday evening, the Boston Red Sox shocked the baseball world with the news that they’d traded 28-year-old star Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants as part of a multi-player deal.
Devers, who is signed through 2033 on a contract worth US$313 million, was one of the most popular players in recent Red Sox history, and very much expected to be a cornerstone of the franchise moving forward.
But the Red Sox apparently had multiple suitors asking about whether they’d be able to pry away the three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger who was the last remaining member of the 2018 World Series-winning team.
“Among the teams known to have inquired about Devers’ availability were the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and Toronto Blue Jays, though those teams were not as motivated as the Giants,” Sean McAdam wrote in an article Monday for MassLive.com.
Former Blue Jays right-handed pitcher Jordan Hicks as well as left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison, outfield prospect James Tibbs III, and minor league right-handed pitcher Jose Bello were the return for the Red Sox. Though it’s not particularly clear what the Blue Jays could’ve offered in return, it doesn’t exactly seem like the biggest package for a player of Devers’ resume.
McAdam added that the “relationship between star and team was irreparably damaged,” in relation to Devers, and that his steadfastness in only playing third base or designated hitter ultimately led to the organization opting to move on from him.
“According to major league sources, the Red Sox had decided that his refusal to even consider working out at first base following the season-ending injury to Triston Casas soured the organization, which came to believe that Devers was no longer willing to do what was in the best interest of the team,” McAdam wrote.
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