The Boston Red Sox signed Alex Bregman in free agency last offseason, and it started a domino effect.
Bregman took over third base. Rafael Devers wasn't happy about that. The Red Sox tried to play Devers at DH. Devers wasn't happy about that. The Red Sox eventually traded Devers to the San Francisco Giants.
Devers started slow with the Giants, then got going by the end of the year. San Francisco will have him for a decade to be a slugger in the heart of their order.
Ironically, Devers also started playing first base for the Giants and looked pretty comfortable.
Except guess what: Bregman is gone.
Bregman signed a five-year contract for $175 million on Saturday night with the Chicago Cubs.
So in the end, Bregman played just 114 games with the Red Sox.
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Does that make the Devers trade feel different? At least a little bit.
Devers seemed unhappy, and maybe the relationship wasn't fixable.
But if the Red Sox never got Bregman, would that have ever happened?
No one questions Devers' hitting ability. He's one of the most naturally talented swingers in baseball.
And now that star slugger is with the Giants, not the Red Sox.
All for 114 games of Bregman in Boston.
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