The front office in Boston has watched star players leave Fenway Park for years, and each time they left, they read the same tired script of payroll issues. For a fanbase tired of excuses, Sam Kennedy’s latest take on losing another star wasn’t just tone-deaf – it was, as Red Sox Nation puts it, a ‘full troll’ move.

On Father’s Day 2025, the Red Sox traded Rafael Devers, their designated hitter, to the San Francisco Giants. While he was the most recent casualty, Red Sox president Sam Kennedy is drawing heavy fire for how the team has handled its roster. Still, instead of admitting mistakes, he seems to ignore the situation completely.

Kennedy’s recent comments about Devers showed how Boston’s leaders have been acting about their departures.

“Well, you can’t replace someone like Raffy. He’s just known as an individual exceptional hitter, and so we got to find other ways,” Kennedy noted.

The statement recognized Devers’ skill but also implied that the Red Sox could deal with his absence. Fans were quick to criticize, given Boston’s history of losing top players because of budget excuses.

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Remembering Raffy’s numbers even stung more.

Devers had 311 plate appearances with Boston before the trade and achieved a batting line of .292/.418/.542 together with 15 home runs and 18 doubles, while recording a 160 wRC+. Then, he settled in San Francisco quickly and achieved a 132 wRC+ from July in his 337 plate appearances, during which he hit 18 home runs and collected 46 RBIs.

The Devers trade represented another salary-driven move by the team after similar ones with Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts. Boston acquired Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks, together with prospects James Tibbs III and Jose Bello, as trade returns.

Per experts, these were poor returns for superstar players.

But the way Red Sox Nation reacted showed that they were even more upset with the team’s philosophy. Fans said that Kennedy’s framing missed the point: Boston always loses top talent when it matters most.

Sam Kennedy’s confusing take on Rafael Devers sparks Red Sox fan anger

Kennedy’s comments caused an immediate backlash on social media, with fans questioning how his statement made sense. Many thought that the organization was just trying to cover up Devers’ trade when they said he couldn’t be replaced.

One fan put it simply: “I’m convinced Sam has turned full troll.” Kennedy’s comments didn’t feel like a serious strategic analysis but rather a dismissive, almost mocking response to valid criticism. Fans who watched the team struggle without Devers in September, when Boston’s team wRC+ was 99, one of the worst offensive marks down the stretch, thought it was crazy to suggest other ways to replace an exceptional hitter.

Another comment read, “Then why trade someone you can’t replace?” This question got to the heart of fans’ anger. Before the trade, Devers had a 160 wRC+ in his last few games with Boston. And now, Kennedy’s admission about Devers’ unique status seemed to be contradicted because they traded away someone who couldn’t be replaced for Kyle Harrison, Jordan Hicks, and prospects.

Then, one took a direct jab at Kennedy, “Seriously. Then why trade him? Stupidest answer ever.” The emotional intensity came from years of frustration over Betts and Bogaerts leaving Boston, and now Bregman choosing the Cubs. Each loss made fans feel that the front office cared more about making money than winning games.

One user directly questioned Kennedy’s credibility, “But you can trade him for NOTHING!” This comment was about how little Boston got back in the trade, which only brought in average prospects and struggling pitchers.

Another fan wanted to hold Sam Kennedy accountable: “Sam should not be allowed to talk on the mic anymore.” For many, Kennedy’s public statements were more of a burden than a clarification. His attempts to explain why the organization made certain choices only added to the story of a front office that didn’t understand its own roster decisions or what fans wanted.

Kennedy’s appearance worsened things. Instead of defending Boston’s strategy, his approach only blurred the reason behind the decision: If Devers was valuable, then why trade him! The question remains!