Unraveling why the Boston Red Sox traded Rafael Devers on Sunday could take years to unpack. But their motivations have certainly started to become clear. After months of haggling with their highest-paid player to put the team first when it came to the position he would play,

The Red Sox (38–36) have won three straight series for the first time this season, capped by a sweep of the Yankees at Fenway Park on Sunday. They head into Tuesday holding the final wild-card spot (+170 to make the playoffs, per Caesars ), but the roster still has gaps.

Boston Red Sox legend Manny Ramirez has offered a theory about why things between Rafael Devers and the organization fell apart to the point they traded him to the San Francisco Giants in a surprise blockbuster on Sunday night.