Following the stunning June 15 trade that sent Rafael Devers to the West Coast, the Boston Red Sox once again find themselves lacking a true marquee name on the roster.
While Garrett Crochet and Alex Bregman have added some recognition to the team since last year, Devers was the established fan favorite — especially for his power at the plate, something neither Crochet nor Bregman can replicate. Bregman’s presence isn’t currently helping either, as he’s still sidelined with an injury and has no clear return date.
With Jarren Duran taking a step back this season, the biggest names left on the team are top prospects Kristian Campbell, Marcelo Mayer, and Roman Anthony — a situation the front office specifically said it wanted to avoid.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow recently reiterated that he oversees all roster decisions and call-ups, and emphasized repeatedly that Boston’s top young talents wouldn’t be burdened with carrying the team. Yet, by dealing away Devers, he’s done exactly that — placing those very prospects in a spotlight they weren’t supposed to occupy.
The Red Sox claimed they wouldn’t rely on their youth to rescue the team, but that’s exactly what they’re doing in the post-Devers era.
Boston essentially traded away its best offensive player for little in return (except, it seems, the opportunity to clear his contract, which owner John Henry appeared to prioritize). Without Devers, the lineup lacks protection, and in the June 16 game against the Mariners, Mayer and Anthony were batting third and fifth — huge roles for such inexperienced players on a contending team.
Mayer and Anthony were also literally called up out of necessity. With Bregman and Romy Gonzalez injured, Mayer — a natural shortstop — was brought up to play third base, contradicting the team’s earlier stance that their top prospects would only play their primary positions. To his credit, he’s handled third base well. Anthony was called up after Wilyer Abreu landed on the injured list.
Devers’ legacy has become the measuring stick for this new wave of Red Sox prospects. Just as Devers was once compared to David Ortiz, he now serves as the benchmark for players like Anthony, who hit his first MLB homer at T-Mobile Park — the same venue where Devers hit his first, exactly eight years earlier. Anthony is also the youngest Red Sox player to homer since Devers did in the 2017 ALDS, per ESPN’s Sarah Langs.
All of this — the timing of the trade, the historical parallels, and the weight of expectations — has heaped pressure onto Boston’s young core. Rather than being given time to grow, they’re now seen as the homegrown successors expected to fill the massive void left by Devers.
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