It's unclear whether the Red Sox's management is incredibly incompetent or strategically brilliant when it comes to Rafael Devers.
One theory is that they only made Devers the highest-paid player in franchise history because of pressure after Mookie Betts left, and now regret the long-term commitment. If this is the case, their actions make sense.
On the other hand, there was a point in the offseason when the Red Sox believed they would acquire Nolan Arenado from the Cardinals or sign Alex Bregman. This led to a meeting with Devers to discuss moving him from third base.
Source: New York Post