How David Ortiz Reacted After Red Sox Traded Rafael Devers

David Ortiz long has been a supporter of Rafael Devers, but the Red Sox legend also understands the business of Major League Baseball.

Speaking with Yancen Pujols less than 24 hours after the Boston Red Sox traded Devers to the San Francisco Giants, Ortiz indicated he understood where the organization was coming from.

“Players need to take this as an example: Nobody is indispensable,” Ortiz told Pujols during an interview in Spanish, as translated by Marcos Grunfeld. “You need to be smart and you need to understand the situation. Your worst enemy is your ego.”

Speaking to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Ortiz added in English: “The organization is always going to be there. Players come and go. As a player, sometimes you’ve got to put your ego aside and understand that once you get paid, you’ve got to find a way to do what you’re told. That’s a message for all young players who think they turn out to be bigger than the game. I’m not saying that Devers was like that. He’s humble. He’s a good kid. But sometimes when you’re young and immature, you (don’t realize that).”

Ortiz’s sentiments likely were in reference to Devers’ frustration with his position.

The three-time MLB All-Star publicly expressed discontent about moving off third base after the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman, and later hinted he did not want to play first base following the injury to Triston Casas — decisions which reportedly played a role in Boston dealing Devers to the Bay Area.

After playing 14 seasons in Boston, the Baseball Hall of Famer knows what it’s like to be a professional and how important it is to put the team first.