“Devers was humiliated [by the Red Sox],” Ramirez told MLB insider Héctor Gómez. “It’s not about pride or ego. I think the team didn’t respect him or communicate with him properly. I’m sure they didn’t do that to [Roger] Clemens. I can’t imagine the Yankees telling [Aaron] Judge, ‘Now we’re moving you to catcher.’”

As John Henry and the Fenway Sports Group are the owners of both clubs, a conspiracy theory immediately circulated that the Red Sox were forced to trade Devers because Liverpool had landed Wirtz. On WEEI’s Greg Hill Show Monday morning, Boston’s Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow shot that idea down emphatically.