The Devers controversy just refuses to fade from the Red Sox’s narrative, even after his departure to the Giants. The whispers of his alleged resistance to positional change have surfaced time and again, often hinted at by former teammates as well.

The Red Sox are still experimenting with various lineup combinations even after the Devers trade. And not everyone appears to be bothered by the constant changes. The Sox outfielder Jarren Duran appears to have embraced the changes and he seems to be taking a subtle jab as well. But at whom?

“It’s whatever,” Duran said after the loss against the Giants in the series finale. “Whatever the team needs. (Alex Cora) wants to get Roman (Anthony) out there to play some left field, and I’m willing to do whatever the team needs. Whatever AC tells me, I’m all on board for.” Now, was that aimed at Devers? Only Duran knows.

No mention of Devers, but if you know, you know. Remember what Devers said about his positional changes? “They came to me and talked to me about it. I know I’m a ballplayer, but at the same time, they can’t expect me to play every single position out there.”

For starters, Devers eventually agreed to shift from third base to DH after Boston signed Alex Bregman. But he pushed back when the Red Sox wanted him to move to first after Triston Casas got hurt. Ironically, he’s now playing DH against his old team and says he’s open to playing first for the Giants if needed.

Meanwhile, Alex Cora hasn’t rolled out the same lineup two days in a row this week. One of the few constants? Jarren Duran. He is constantly juggling between LF and DH as per the team’s requirement. Duran is one of the only players with a near-everyday role and is now key to holding the Red Sox lineup together in Devers’ absence.

But what about Devers? Well, he has already announced his arrival in San Francisco with a homer against his former team, but Devers is yet to get his favored hot corner.

No hot corner yet for Rafael Devers at his new home

Till last year, Devers was a staple at the hot corner, but that’s now long gone. So, is he going to get 3B at the Giants? The answer is NO, at least for now! Currently, he’s serving as the designated hitter, though the Giants might try him out at first base eventually – the very position he refused to play in Boston which ultimately resulted in the big trade.

The Giants have played five games since bringing in Devers. But Devers hasn’t quite looked like himself at the plate just yet. Before the trade, he was slashing .272/.401/.504 over 73 games, with a strong .905 OPS. But in his first five appearances with the Giants, those numbers have taken a noticeable dip, with his average down to .200, an on-base percentage of .273, and an OPS of just .673.

That homer against the Red Sox might help him get back to rhythm. The Giants are counting on Devers’ bat to spark their offense, as they look to close the gap in the National League West, where they remain within striking distance of the division-leading Dodgers. Will Devers live up to the billing?