While things don't always go as planned for certain players in cities, with the ending of Rafael Devers' time in Boston being the perfect example of that, it doesn't mean that they didn't have an impact on players in the organization.
For a team like the [Boston Red Sox](https://nesn.com/boston-red-sox), one filled with a lot of veteran talent and young talent, a guy like Devers is a big piece of a locker room. Devers definitely made his feelings known in Boston towards the end of his time with the organization, but remember, he was a fan favorite for the Red Sox for a very long time.
He also left a big impact on a player who is now a significant piece of the Red Sox puzzle: Ceddanne Rafaela.
“He meant a lot to me,” Rafaela [said](https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2026/08/while-fenway-booed-rafael-devers-one-red-sox-star-remains-grateful-to-former-teammate.html) before correcting himself, per MassLive. “He means a lot to me. The things I’ve learned from him as a player. A lot of things that he taught me, I still carry in my career right now. I’m really grateful.”
Rafaela is a very good player and someone the Red Sox have relied on heavily over the past few months.
His game has always been impressive, but he's now starting to swing the bat at an above-average level, making him one of the more intriguing young players in Major League Baseball at just 25 years old.
He's playing the best he ever has offensively, leading the American League in doubles with 32, blasting 16 home runs, and posting a 120 OPS+, which would be the best of his career.
While Devers might not be in Boston any longer, it's not unfair to say that his impact on players like Rafaela might have gone a long way.
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