Dave Portnoy blasts Red Sox for Rafael Devers | Sports News

Dave Portnoy, Barstool Sports’ outspoken founder, unleashed a scathing critique of the Boston Red Sox after their stunning mid-June choice to commerce star third baseman Rafael Devers. Portnoy, who lately went on a wild Gregg Popovich rant, directed related fury towards Red Sox possession, accusing them of giving up on the season.

Posting on his Instagram account “stoolpresidente” with the caption “Rafael Devers joins the ever growing list of Red Sox stars who leave town in their prime. What a joke,” Portnoy didn’t maintain back in his video commentary.

“I’m watching the US Open. And the Red Sox trade Raffy Devers. They pull him off the plane. Stick him in a car, send him on his way. and that’s the end. Now listen, Rafael Devers is a d——-. He’s a f—— d——-. There’s no doubt about that,” Portnoy started, not shying away from his trademark bluntness. He argued that regardless of Devers’s occasional clashes with teammates and refusal to play sure infield positions, the slugger remained an asset on the sector. Just final month, Portnoy blasted the WNBA after an investigation into Angel Reese, and he utilized the identical no-holds-barred method in his takedown of the Red Sox entrance workplace.

Portnoy slammed the timing and substance of the deal, saying, “this season has sucked for the Red Sox until the last f—— week and two weeks they start playing good baseball, they sweep the Yankees… we’re finally looking up, above .500 … and you f—— trade him for a bag of baseballs and f—— a couple no-name pitchers.”

He referred to as the commerce “a financial deal, not a winning baseball deal,” inserting blame straight on the staff’s possession and its cost-cutting priorities like these of principal proprietor John Henry.

The transfer despatched shockwaves by means of Red Sox Nation, reminiscent of a string of franchise exits stretching back to Mookie Betts. Reports confirmed Devers was dealt to the Giants in exchange for pitchers Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison, plus further prospects — responses decried as underwhelming. Portnoy’s anger was amplified by Boston’s current sweep of the Yankees, a streak that momentarily instructed the staff may be getting into a resurgence.

He continued, “NOW? You’re enjoying good baseball and now you do not need to a minimum of see what can occur this 12 months if you happen to keep placing the pedal to the steel? The pitching’s beginning to come round … let him be our d——- DH for this season. This is a money deal, not a profitable baseball deal. The Red Sox do not make profitable baseball offers fairly often anymore.”

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Industry observers have famous that Devers’s departure marks the symbolic completion of the franchise’s controversial dismantling that started with Betts’ 2020 exit. His relationships with management reportedly soured after disagreements over enjoying time at first and third base and designated hitter roles, following the offseason acquisition of Alex Bregman. Despite these tensions, Devers was nonetheless performing properly, batting .272 with 15 home runs and a .905 OPS on the time of the commerce.

For Portnoy, the actual downside lies within the lack of aggressive motivation behind the commerce. He lamented that Boston unloaded a key hitter to cut back payroll, somewhat than pushing ahead in a season that was exhibiting indicators of promise. His critique displays broader fan frustration — this isn’t nearly dropping a star, however about dropping religion in a entrance workplace that appears more and more centered on funds somewhat than wins.