Part 5/8:
Despite rumors swirling that Devers was available, the reality was that conversations about him had been taking place quietly behind the scenes. Baseball executives and scouts would routinely assess the possibility of adding a player of Devers's caliber to their rosters, a 10-year player under contract through 2033, making him a coveted asset.
As building tensions between Devers and the Red Sox escalated, the decision to make him available for trade became more of a certainty. Regardless of the team’s on-field performance, front office discussions about player transactions would persist.