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BOSTON — Rafael Devers, a man of few words, returned to Fenway Park on Friday, and three hours before the San Francisco Giants’ game against the Red Sox, he was fielding questions. Perched in the visitors’ dugout, Devers faced numerous cameras and microphones as he discussed his first game against his former team since Boston traded him to San Francisco on June 15, 2025. Devers said he doesn’t know how the fans might greet him. “It’s my first time coming back to Boston,” Devers said with team translator Erwin Higueros interpreting. “I have not experienced this before, so I don’t know what to expect.” Advertisement Article continues below this ad No matter what the response, Devers will remain appreciative for the support he got during his nine years with the Red Sox, which included winning a World Series in 2018. “I simply want to say thank you very much for all the support they gave me through my years here,” Devers said, “and they will always be special in my heart.” Devers never has been on the visitors’ side at Fenway Park, but he said he’s been in so many opposing stadiums in his 10-plus seasons, it didn’t feel strange at all to him except, perhaps, the dimensions, but he was warned. “I was told it is very small,” he said. Friday’s nine-minute media session might have been stranger for the local Boston reporters than it was for Devers, who has been gone for more than a year and who faced the Red Sox at Oracle Park just five days after the trade. Asked repeatedly about how strange Friday was for him or what memories came back for him, Devers responded that he has too many memories to pinpoint any but that being back in the stadium was really not that big a deal. Advertisement Article continues below this ad “You have to understand, that’s in the past,” he said. Asked whether he had regrets about the way his time in Boston ended — shortly after Devers declined to move from designated hitter to first base — he did seem reflective about how things came to an end. “I don’t want to think about the past. I don’t want to talk about the past. But at the same time, we’re all men, we’re all grown-ups,” he said “We have to understand this is the business of baseball, but at the same time, you make mistakes and you have to move on and mature.” Devers is now, of course, playing first base with the Giants, though he was at DH on the lineup card for Friday night against Sonny Gray. Asked how he’s adapting to life at the position, Devers credited veteran infield coach Ron Washington’s work with him and said, “Every single day I play first base, I feel comfortable.” Devers was the most prominent Red Sox slugger for nearly a decade, and Fenway Park remains a great place for a left-handed hitter. With his opposite-field power, he could pepper the Green Monster throughout the series for the Giants. Advertisement Article continues below this ad “I’m not even thinking about that,” Devers said, smiling and shaking his head. “I’m missing middle-middle right now. I’m missing all of my pitches, so I’m just hoping that I do well today.” San Francisco acquired Devers for left-hander Kyle Harrison (a Bay Area native who starred at De La Salle, since traded to Milwaukee), right-hander Jordan Hicks (since traded to the White Sox), minor-league outfielder James Tibbs III (since traded to the Dodgers) and minor-league right-hander Jose Bello. Devers entered the day Friday batting .244/.320/.470, leading the Giants in home runs (25), doubles (31), walks (54) and strikeouts (141).