Johnny Damon Talks Rafael Devers Trade, 'It's Just Horrible for Everyone'

Johnny Damon -- like so many Red Sox fans -- wishes Rafael Devers' Boston career had ended differently ... telling TMZ Sports this week the situation is "just horrible for everyone."

The former Sox outfielder sat down with us on Wednesday, some three days after Devers was jettisoned to San Francisco, and he made it clear, he would have preferred both sides work their differences out.

He said the trade is unfortunate for nearly every party, but noted Red Sox supporters are likely hurting the most.

"It's horrible," he said.

Damon, though, told us he can recognize why it had to happen -- acknowledging Devers' position frustration had created tension the team "needed to ease." He also understood trading Devers helped free up millions of dollars for the Sox to spend in the future.

But he said it'll likely be tough on Devers, too -- as even though he's on a solid Giants team now, nothing quite compares to the way baseball is played on the East Coast.

Nonetheless, Damon -- who's proudly running his successful A-GAME beverage biz in retirement -- told us he's still "excited" for the Sox's future.

"Will they regret it?" Damon said of the Sox's trade. "If Devers goes out and wins a couple MVPs and a couple championships, absolutely they will. But I think the Red Sox are thinking about right now and they're younger and there's no distraction right now."