FORT MYERS, Fla. – The only way Rafael Devers could’ve been more clear about his feelings on the state of the Red Sox would’ve been if he’d said along the lines of, ‘Spend some money, for heaven’s sake.’

He didn’t need to get into specifics to get his message across, though. In his first media availability of spring training, the third baseman pulled next to no punches.

It started off somewhat diplomatically, with the third baseman professing optimism about the upcoming season.

“I think we’re in a good position,” Devers said (via translator Carlos Villoria Benítez). “We’re all healthy, that’s one of the main things that we’re happy about. I know the organization that we have, the players that we have. I can’t tell you right now if we’re going to win or we’re gonna lose, there’s a long season ahead of us.”

Then, he unloaded in a way that said everything without saying too much.

“I know what we needed last year, I know what we needed this year,” he declared. “A lot of teams need a lot of players, a lot of additions. I can’t control what (the front office) do, I just can control what I do, just to go out there each day to give my 100% and try to be the best version of myself and trying to help my team win.”

“But,” Devers continued, “they need to make an adjustment to help us players too, to be in a better position to be in a better position to win. Everybody in this organization wants to win, and we as players want to win, and I think they need to make an adjustment to help us.”

What do the Red Sox need, exactly?

“Everybody knows what we need,” Devers said with a smile. “You know what we need, and they know what we need. It’s just some things that I can’t say out loud, but everyone that knows the organization and knows the game knows what we need.”

It was a strong allusion to starting pitching, which members of the front office publicly stated were both an area of need and a priority for the offseason.

“I’m not saying that the team is not okay right now, but they need to be conscious of what are the weaknesses and what we need right now,” Devers clarified. “I think we’re in a good position. We’re all healthy, that’s one of the main things that we’re happy about.”

He admitted that it was difficult last summer, when the Red Sox had contention potential before the trade deadline and the front office didn’t heed players’ public and private requests to bring in reinforcements.

“My point of view, that they were thinking more in the future last year, where we had opportunities to do something and to be in the race,” he said. “Nothing happened, and I thought back then that of course, that they were thinking in the future, and I think that when those opportunities come along, we need to be more aggressive and try to embrace those opportunities.”

“At the end of the year, when you go home early when you know that you had a chance to be in the race or be, at least, competing to make a playoff run, and they don’t give you the push and the help that the team needed at the time, of course it’s like a little bit, you got a sting,” he added.”

Clearly, though, the sting motivated Devers to be more vocal with the brass.

“I’ve been, I talk to them,” he said. “They’re gonna keep trying to improve the team and to improve our weaknesses.”

“I care deeply about this organization,” he proclaimed. “I love this organization so much that I want us to win. I want us to win right now, I want us to win in the future.”

With that in mind, Devers gave a ringing endorsement for one of his teammates to receive an extension. “I hope they come to an agreement, because I want to play with him for a long time” he said after hearing that the Red Sox have spoken with Triston Casas about an extension. “We know the type of player that he is, we know how good he is, and I do believe that he is gonna be one of the best players in the league, and that would be something great for the organization.”

That the shy superstar gave some of his most open, lengthy answers shows how strongly he feels about where the Red Sox are, compared to where they should be. It’s a far cry from the 20-year-old Devers who debuted in 2017, and even a significant change from Winter Weekend last year, when said, “They want me to be a leader, and I get it, but I still feel like I’m really young to be that leader.”

On Tuesday, he not only spoke like a leader, but accepted that he’s become one.

“I don’t think that’s something that I really like, the title, but it’s something that I need to embrace,” he said, “because I know that I’m one of the veteran guys in the clubhouse, and I know that I can help – with my little experience – I know I can help the young guys to become better baseball players and help the organization to become a better organization… if they need me, I’ll be there for them.”

For now, Devers will continue trying to improve his play and support his teammates.

But there’s no doubt that he’s made his feelings clear.