There’s one element of the Red Sox’ return for Devers that is already proving annoying. It’s the idea that a significant part of what the Sox got back for him was the financial freedom to improve the team.

By way of example, how ’bout that video news conference the Sox held Monday night, 24 hours after Rafael Devers had been traded to the San Francisco Giants? Three days later, an

Even after Rafael Devers was traded, The Athletic believes that the Red Sox still have the top trade chip in baseball.