In the Boston Red Sox‘s clubhouse at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida, the gravitational pull emanates from the corner locker. While most players get one locker to store their equipment, this one is super-sized, with an extra cabinet and a bench. The space, next to the door nearest the field, is reserved for Red Sox royalty to hold court. When the ballpark opened in 2012, the locker belonged to David Ortiz. He passed it on to Dustin Pedroia in 2016, who handed it over to Xander Bogaerts heading into the 2020 season.
After Bogaerts signed an 11-year, $280 million deal with the San Diego Padres this offseason, there was a clear heir apparent: third baseman Rafael Devers, the new face of the franchise, who signed a 10-year, $313.5 million extension in January.
“He’s been a leader of this team for a while here now,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “When he talks in that clubhouse, it’s important to those guys.”
In recent years, Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez, Nathan Eovaldi and Christian Vazquez were depended upon as leaders and to answer the tough questions from the Boston media and their team’s fans. Now, much of that falls on Devers, who until now hasn’t been expected to be the guy, the one person everyone turns to in the biggest moments to provide motivation and leadership.
At the moment, that responsibility isn’t at the top of Devers’ mind.
“I don’t really see myself too much as a leader right now,” Devers said through an interpreter. “I just try to be one of the guys. We have a lot of new guys in the clubhouse now, and I just want them to have the confidence to come up and approach me with any questions they have.”
The transition in clubhouse leadership comes during a tumultuous time in franchise history. Pessimism reigns among Red Sox fans. The team’s offseason moves — highlighted by Devers’ extension, as well as adding Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida — weren’t enough to erase the sour taste of losing Bogaerts, which had resparked conversation around the much-maligned trade of Mookie Betts, now entering his fourth season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fans made no secret of their disappointment, booing principal owner John Henry and chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom at the Red Sox’s annual Winter Weekend. If Boston gets off to a slow start this season, the calls for change on the field and in the executive suite will only intensify.
It’s a noisy backdrop to a crucial time of growth for Devers, who is currently playing for the Dominican Republic at the World Baseball Classic. At 26 years old, he represents a generational shift happening in Boston, with pitchers Chris Sale and Ryan Brasier the only other players left from the 2018 World Series championship team. In 2022, the Red Sox finished in last place with a 78-84 record in baseball’s most competitive division.
Devers’ attitude — which teammates count among his strengths — will go a long way.
“He’s always happy,” said Red Sox infielder Christian Arroyo. “He’s not one of those guys where just because he signed a big contract he’s going to work harder or less hard now. He’s been the same way since I’ve met him, and I think he’s learned a lot of that from [Bogaerts].”
Since he arrived in the big leagues in 2017 as a 21-year-old, Devers stuck to Bogaerts like Pikachu to Ash Ketchum. The two had neighboring lockers in the Fenway Park clubhouse and, whether it was eating dinner or taking ground balls, Devers and Bogaerts were inseparable.
“Everything, I learned from him,” Devers said. “He created the environment here. I just want to keep that alive. He was somebody we all respected and I just want to continue that legacy within the clubhouse.”
Bogaerts had learned from watching Ortiz during his early days in the big leagues and always stood at his locker after games to field questions about anything that went wrong for the team. When Bogaerts walked into the clubhouse, there was always a smile on his face and warm greetings for everyone from teammates to clubhouse attendants to media.
Teammates do notice a difference in Devers.
“I don’t mean this to be weird, but he’s a more childish version of Xander. There’s an innocence to him,” said outfielder Enrique Hernandez. “He’s very playful and always having a good time.”
These days, Devers’ levity is a relief in the clubhouse. For him, the drama of the offseason — just like a tough loss during it — is already in the past.
“If you’re mad or angry or bothered, you got to check yourself,” Devers said. “This is a game that we’re playing. You’re meant to have fun. This is a game and we’re a family and if you don’t understand that, what are you really doing?”
On the field, teammates know what they’re going to get from Devers, who has long been one of the team’s most important offensive forces — he earned MVP votes in 2019, 2021 and 2022 and played a key role in Boston’s run to the World Series in 2018. He also has made strides on defense after regular criticism early in his career. Devers has improved his range and mobility to his glove side, with backhanded plays and bad throws accounting for the majority of his errors earlier in his career.
To some, though, he’s still a bit of an enigma. While he did not speak much English as a rookie in 2017, he’s now regularly seen joking with teammates in the language. But in 2020, when Devers entered camp and told teammates he had his second kid during the offseason, many were surprised to learn he was a father in the first place. He rarely posts on social media — his Twitter bio still lists him as a “Boston Red Sox Minor League 3B” and he last tweeted in 2015.
When asked if he made any major purchases after signing his big extension, Devers laughed.
“I’m going to keep that private,” he said.
Now, Devers will be tasked with leading the new-look Red Sox, a private person in one of the biggest positions of public scrutiny in baseball. And while the departure of Bogaerts certainly leaves a gap in the clubhouse leadership, Devers remembers watching how the former Boston shortstop affected others in the clubhouse, namely himself.
Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.
The last-place Washington Nationals fired president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez, the team announced Sunday.
Rizzo, 64, and Martinez, 60, won a World Series with the Nationals in 2019, but the team has floundered in recent years. This season, the Nationals are 37-53 and stuck at the bottom of the National League East after getting swept by the Boston Red Sox this weekend at home. Washington hasn’t finished higher than fourth in the division since winning the World Series.
“On behalf of our family and the Washington Nationals organization, I first and foremost want to thank Mike and Davey for their contributions to our franchise and our city,” principal owner Mark Lerner said in a statement. “Our family is eternally grateful for their years of dedication to the organization, including their roles in bringing a World Series trophy to Washington, D.C.
“While we are appreciative of their past successes, the on-field performance has not been where we or our fans expect it to be. This is a pivotal time for our club, and we believe a fresh approach and new energy is the best course of action for our team moving forward.”
Mike DeBartolo, the club’s senior vice president and assistant general manager, was named interim GM on Sunday night. DeBartolo will oversee all aspects of baseball operations, including the MLB draft. An announcement will be made on the interim manager Monday, a day before the club begins a series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Rizzo has been the top decision-maker in Washington since 2013, and Martinez has been on board since 2018. Under Rizzo’s leadership, the team made the postseason four times: in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019. The latter season was Martinez’s lone playoff appearance.
“When our family assumed control of the team, nearly 20 years ago, Mike was the first hire we made,” Lerner said. “Over two decades, he was with us as we went from a fledging team in a new city to World Series champion. Mike helped make us who we are as an organization, and we’re so thankful to him for his hard work and dedication — not just on the field and in the front office, but in the community as well.”
The Nationals are in the midst of a rebuild that has moved slower than expected, though the team didn’t augment its young core much during the winter. Led by All-Stars James Wood and MacKenzie Gore, Washington has the second-youngest group of hitters in MLB and the sixth-youngest pitching staff.
The team lost 11 straight games in a forgettable stretch last month. And during a 2-10 run in June, Washington averaged just 2.5 runs. Since June 1, the Nationals have scored one run or been shut out seven times. In Sunday’s 6-4 loss to Boston, they left 15 runners on base.
There was industry speculation over the winter that the Nationals would spend money on free agents for the first time in several years, but that never materialized. Instead, the team made minor moves, signing free agents Josh Bell and Michael Soroka, trading for first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and re-signing closer Kyle Finnegan. Now, the hope is a new management team, both on and off the field, can help change the franchise’s fortunes.
The rosters for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game will feature 19 first-timers — and one legend — as the pitchers and reserves were announced Sunday for the July 15 contest at Truist Park in Atlanta.
Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner who made his first All-Star team in 2011, was named to his 11th National League roster as a special commissioner’s selection.
Kershaw, who became only the fourth left-hander to amass 3,000 career strikeouts, is 4-0 with a 3.43 ERA in nine starts after beginning the season on the injured list. He joins Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera as a legend choice, after the pair of sluggers were selected in 2022.
Kershaw said he didn’t want to discuss the selection Sunday.
Overall, the 19 first-time All-Stars is a drop from the 32 first-time selections on the initial rosters in 2024.
Kershaw would be the sentimental choice to start for the National League, although Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who leads NL pitchers in ERA and WAR, might be in line to start his second straight contest. Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler, a three-time All-Star, is 9-3 with a 2.17 ERA after Sunday’s complete-game victory and also would be a strong candidate to start.
“I think it would be stupid to say no to that. It’s a pretty cool opportunity,” Skenes said about the possibility of being asked to start by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “I didn’t make plans over the All-Star break or anything. So, yeah, I’m super stoked.”
Kershaw has made one All-Star start in his career, in 2022 at Dodger Stadium.
Among standout players not selected were New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto, who signed a $765 million contract as a free agent in the offseason, and Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts, who had made eight consecutive All-Star rosters since 2016.
Soto got off to a slow start but was the National League Player of the Month in June and entered Sunday ranked sixth in the NL in WAR among position players while ranking second in OBP, eighth in OPS and third in runs scored.
Earning his fifth career selection but first since 2021 is Texas Rangers righty Jacob deGrom, who is finally healthy after making only nine starts in his first two seasons with the Rangers and is 9-2 with a 2.13 ERA. He has never started an All-Star Game, although Skubal or Brown would be the favorite to start for the AL.
“Red carpet, that’s my thing,” Chisholm said. “I do have a ‘fit in mind.”
Rosters are expanded from 26 to 32 for the All-Star Game. They include starters elected by fans, 17 players (five starting pitchers, three relievers and a backup for each position) chosen in a player vote and six players (four pitchers and two position players) selected by league officials. Every club must be represented.
Acuna, Wood and Raleigh are the three All-Stars who have so far committed to participating in the Home Run Derby.
ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the Washington Wizards from 2014 to 2016 and the Washington Nationals from 2016 to 2018 for The Washington Post before covering the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB for the Los Angeles Times from 2018 to 2024.
NEW YORK — The New York Yankees were seemingly in deep trouble Sunday when Juan Soto cracked a pitch to left field in the seventh inning.
The New York Mets, down two runs, were cooking up a rally with no outs. Francisco Lindor stood at first base, Pete Alonso loomed on deck, and Brandon Nimmo was in the hole. This was the heart of the Mets’ potent lineup. Given the Yankees’ recent woes, fumbling their two-run lead and suffering a Subway Series sweep at the hands of their neighbors — and a seventh straight loss — seemed almost fated.
Then Cody Bellinger charged Soto’s sinking 105 mph line drive, made a shoestring catch and fired a strike to first base for an improbable double play to secure a skid-snapping 6-4 win — and perhaps rescue the Yankees from another dreadful outcome.
“Considering the context of this week and everything,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, “that’s probably our play of the year so far.”
Soto’s line drive off Mark Leiter Jr. had a 10% catch probability, according to Statcast, but Bellinger, a plus defender at multiple positions who started at first base Saturday, was just able to snatch it before it touched the grass. Certain that he caught it clean, he made an 89.9 mph toss that reached first baseman Paul Goldschmidt on a line, over Lindor, who didn’t slide into the bag.
“I saw it in the air and had a really good beat on it,” said Bellinger, who went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk at the plate.
The Mets challenged the catch, but the call stood.
“That was incredible,” said Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge, who swatted his 33rd home run of the season in the fifth inning. “I’ve never seen something like that on the field.”
For the past week, a stretch Boone described as “terrible” for his ballclub, poor defense has been an issue for the Yankees. Physical errors. Mental lapses. Near disasters. The sloppiness helped sink a depleted pitching staff, more than offsetting the offense’s strong production.
That combination produced the team’s second six-game losing streak in three weeks and a three-game deficit in the American League East standings behind the first-place Toronto Blue Jays.
The surging Blue Jays won again Sunday to extend their winning streak to seven games and keep their division lead at three games, but Bellinger’s glove and arm ensured it didn’t grow to four.
“That was an unbelievable play,” Goldschmidt said. “Amazing catch and absolute cannon to me at first. To make that play was a game-changing play and potentially game-winning play for us today. And we needed it.”