‘It’s been a long time’ since he’s been this happy

Look away, Red Sox Nation — Rafael Devers is adding insult to injury for fans who are devastated by his departure. 

Speaking to Boston media before the Giants and Red Sox begin a three-game set at Oracle Park Friday night, he was asked when was the last time he was this happy, and the new Giant replied: “It’s been a long time. … I feel happy. I’m relaxed now.”

That would seem to be a clear shot at Boston, which traded Devers to San Francisco on Sunday after a season full of tension between the two sides. 

On Friday, Devers declined to say much else about the end of his tenure in Boston, repeatedly saying he doesn’t want to talk about the past.

Friday’s game will mark Devers’ first game against his former team.

The star slugger’s relationship with Boston began to sour before this season, when the team signed Alex Bregman, who plays third base, where Devers had played in his previous eight seasons with the Red Sox.

Devers moved to DH to accommodate Bregman, although he was not initially thrilled at having to do so. 

Then, when Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas went down with a season-ending injury, Devers refused to shift from DH to first. 

Devers did say Friday that he would have been willing to play first base for the Sox if the team had asked during spring training, but Casas was healthy at that point and Boston had no need for him at the position.

According to Giants manager Bob Melvin, the three-time All-Star will play some first base with San Francisco, although he has remained at DH in his first few games with his new team. 

In his first three games with San Francisco, Devers has gone 3-for-11 with one RBI. 

He’ll surely be looking to make a statement by crushing his first home run with the Giants this weekend against the Red Sox, who took two of three games from the Mariners in their first series after the blockbuster trade.