While the Red Sox front office kept reiterating that it was a pure baseball trade, the honest truth is that it was a culture trade. They didn’t believe they could win another championship with Devers. They believed he was the wrong guy to be the centerpiece of the franchise. They didn’t think he would become a leader. So, he is gone.

All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers was traded to the Giants from the Red Sox Sunday night in a stunning deal that will see San Francisco take on on all the remaining money on Devers' 10-year, $313.5 million deal that started last season.