SAN FRANCISCO -- When a few Boston questions were mixed in during Tuesday's press conference at Oracle Park, Rafael Devers deflected them, saying he didn't want to talk about the past. At one point, Buster Posey smiled and said he liked the way his new superstar answers questions.
Posey really, really would have liked the way Devers handled his second large media availability of the week.
About two dozen reporters and six cameras -- many of them from Boston -- descended on the dugout Friday so Devers could offer answers to Red Sox reporters and his former fan base. He spoke for more than 10 minutes, and nearly every answer was some variation of "I don't want to talk about the past, I'm focused on the future." But when asked about his future in San Francisco, Devers lit up.
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SIGN UP HERE Devers was asked if he could remember the last time he had been this happy, and his answer surely pleased Posey and the Giants.
"It's been a long time," he said through interpreter Erwin Higueros. "I don't know how to explain it. Yes, I feel happy. I feel relaxed now."
If all goes according to plan, that'll be the last time Devers has to address a week that stunned Major League Baseball. He's clearly ready to move on, but the timing of this weekend's series -- less than a week after the blockbuster deal -- led to an interesting situation. He said he spent Thursday catching up with some former teammates after the Red Sox arrived from their series in Seattle, and on Friday, he spoke to reporters who once thought they might be covering him for the next eight and a half seasons.
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Devers did not offer a lot of answers to the questions that persist across the country, although he did say that had the Red Sox asked him to play first base during the spring -- instead of after Triston Casas got hurt in-season -- he would have agreed. Asked for further details, he said all of that was in the past.
Devers said he did plan to catch up with former manager Alex Cora, although they haven't spoken since the trade. If Cora watches closely this weekend, he'll see Devers taking grounders at first during batting practice, something he refused to do for Cora and the Red Sox.
The Giants will continue to get Devers work there all weekend after two days of grounders earlier this week. He said he's not ready to play first base against his former team, though. Devers isn't sure when he'll be ready for a new position, but he promised to inform his new manager, Bob Melvin, as soon as he feels comfortable.
In the meantime, the Giants will continue to start Devers at DH. He reiterated Friday that he'll do anything his new bosses want, and said he's confident that better days are ahead. The Giants scored just six runs in their first three games with Devers in the lineup, but he said he's excited about the future.
"There's a reason they brought me here," he said. "Our offense is going to hit."