It's all about the pitching which, Sale notwithstanding, I think Breslow has done a good job with.
I think it's entirely possible the Sox can have their cake and eat it too this year. I like Devers a lot and think Breslow screwed him, but I don't at all mind dumping Raffy's salary.
The Sox are on a 6 game winning streak and basically did it with no help from Devers. The pitching did it. And, if they stay good, the lineup will be fine. Those 6 games were won without Bregman or Abreu, both of whom will return soon. Rookie Mayer won 1 game with 2 freaking dingers, and rookie Anthony got a crucial 2 run double to win another. Anthony got a dinger last night and then Duran tripled followed by Toro's single up the middle. Toro and Gonzalez are both way better than Casas was when he was hurt. Story and Rafaela's OPS's are both over .800 in June.
I could of course be way wrong, but, even if that happens, I've had some had some absolutely fascinating moments for which I am grateful. Among those are Devers' 3d most rbi's in MLB, a bunch of excellent defensive plays, watching Bregman and Crochet deliver on their salaries, Toro hitting way better than expected, Narvaez, the three rookies all in the same game (s). I didn't even mind that Judge tied it in the 9th with a humungous dinger(after 3 K's) against Crochet, who was going for a complete game. The Sox won that too.