Why Chris Sale Was ‘Upset’ About Rafael Devers’ All-Star Backout

Chris Sale reunited with a pair of former Red Sox teammates in Texas, but he wasn’t able to reconnect with all of Boston’s 2024 All-Stars.

Tanner Houck and Sale’s favorite All-Star, Jarren Duran, made the trip to Globe Life Field while Rafael Devers stayed behind to nurse a nagging shoulder injury. It seemingly was a precautionary move by the Red Sox third baseman, who still managed to play at a very high level across the final stretch before the break.

Devers went into the midseason pause with a bang Sunday when he broke a seat at Fenway Park with a home run that had an exit velocity near 115 mph. Had the 27-year-old made the trek to the Lone Star State this week, he would have caught a friendly roast from Sale about the damaging dinger.

“I saw yesterday he hit a home run and broke a seat,” Sale told reporters Monday, per The Boston Globe. “I’m a little upset that he’s not here, that I can’t make fun of him for that, that he’s got to pay for the seat.”

Fortunately for Devers, it doesn’t appear that he will have to foot the bill for any renovations. The crew at Fenway Park was able to fix the seat not long after Devers busted it up with his two-run tater.

The three-time All-Star will enjoy a few more days off before he’s back to work. The Red Sox will start the unofficial second half of their season Friday night in Los Angeles.