Overview
- The episode happened Sunday in Miami when Devers walked to lead off the ninth, tried to block Jonah Cox from pinch-running for him, then left the dugout angrily and declined a media interview.
- Manager Tony Vitello and teammates defended the decision as strategic and said Devers’ competitiveness explained his reaction.
- The Giants used Cox because Devers has the slowest sprint speed on the roster at 26.2 feet per second and the move was meant to increase the chance of scoring the tying run.
- The play came in a 2-1 loss that completed a sweep and a three-game skid that left San Francisco 15 games below .500.
- Devers’ long, $313.5 million contract, his history of resisting role or position changes in Boston, and his agent’s recent move to the Ballengee Group raise questions about how the club will manage his playing time and any future trade talks, and the team has announced no discipline or roster changes.