After signing Alex Bregman, the Boston Red Sox initially refused to commit to him at second base, and instead left the door open for Bregman to play his usual third base. That would then shift franchise icon Rafael Devers to DH, or at least first base. Not so fast. On Monday, Devers said he refused a move to DH and insisted he will stay at the hot corner.
“I told them no. I’m a third baseman,” Devers said when asked about moving to DH. “… I think we have a hell of a team and I’m grateful ownership for the moves they made. Third base is my position. I don’t know what their plans are. I made it clear my desires and whatever happens we’ll see.”
“He has a lot of pride. We know that,” manager Alex Cora added later (via MassLive.com). “He feels like he’s the third baseman. He’s going to work out as the third baseman. And we’re going to make decisions accordingly. Here, it’s not about Bregman or Devers or Cora. It’s for the Boston Red Sox. Whatever decision we make is going to be for the benefit of the team.”
Devers, 28, has played his entire career at third base save for a handful of emergency innings at second base and shortstop. He has led the league in errors at third base every year since 2018, and the advanced numbers similarly rate him poorly. Compared to Bregman at third base, it’s no contest:
| Defensive runs saved | Outs above average | |
|---|---|---|
|
2022-24 Bregman at 3B |
+7 |
+11 |
|
2022-24 Devers at 3B |
-24 |
-17 |
Bregman has played only 32 career innings at second base and none since 2018. He is a smart and instinctual defender though, and a good athlete, suggesting he’ll be able to make a successful shift to the keystone. Unquestionably, Boston’s best defensive alignment has Bregman at third and Devers at DH, but Devers has put his foot down.
Devers staying at third also complicates things for Kristian Campbell, one of Boston’s top prospects and one of the best in the minors. He is close to MLB ready and primarily a second baseman, where he’s now blocked by Bregman. The Red Sox could perhaps use Bregman at shortstop, or give Campbell more time at short and center field, positions he’s dabbled at in the minors.
There’s also the question of Masataka Yoshida, Boston’s incumbent DH. The 31-year-old played all of one inning in the outfield last season. He is a full-time DH and a productive one, albeit not a great one. He’s a .285/.343/.433 hitter with 25 homers in two MLB seasons. The Red Sox owe Yoshida $18 million annually from 2025-27, so he’s not going anywhere.
Devers is entering the second season of the franchise record 10-year, $313.5 million contract he signed in January 2023. Bregman can opt out of his contract after 2025 (and 2026), so the Bregman/Devers third base dynamic may not last long, but at some point things will change. Devers will not stay at third base the rest of his career. For now, he’s unwilling to move.
The Red Sox went 81-81 last season. They are one of the most improved teams in baseball after adding Bregman, Walker Buehler, and Garrett Crochet this offseason, and should be in the mix for their first postseason berth since 2021 this year.
