Rafael Devers told reporters Thursday that he is ready to do whatever the Boston Red Sox ask of him in 2025, even if he moving off of third base isn’t what he wants.
When the Boston Red Sox first signed Alex Bregman, third baseman Rafael Devers didn’t hide his feelings about potentially getting moved out of the hot corner.
Rafael Devers on potentially being moved off of 3rd base 🎙️⬇️
"I just want to help the team win. Whatever position I'm playing, I always take these things as a competition and as a way to get better." 👏 #RedSox pic.twitter.com/2JnHWBM9k7
— NESN (@NESN) March 13, 2025
In short, he wasn’t exactly on board with the idea.
Nearly a month later, it seems that cooler heads have prevailed.
“We spoke already, and I’m good to do whatever they want me to do – I’m here to help,” Devers said Thursday, through an interpreter, when asked about his future in the field. “I’ve already spoken with them about that and they know where I stand, but I’m just ready to play.”
Devers refused to elaborate on his conversations with manager Alex Cora and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow that took place behind closed doors, insinuating that he still views himself as a third baseman.
While Devers has started 942 games at third base since making his MLB debut in 2017, he ranks dead last across the league at the position with -62 defensive runs saved in that time. Bregman, on the other hand, has racked up 27 defensive runs saved in 977 starts as a third baseman since 2016, winning his first Gold Glove in 2024.
Moving Devers to designated hitter and replacing him with Bregman could do wonders for a defense that led the AL in errors last season. A healthy season for shortstop Trevor Story would also go a long way in that regard, even if he is already dealing with a back injury.
Reports surfaced early in the offseason that Devers could move to first base, but Triston Casas survived trade rumors and has that position locked down with Opening Day two weeks out. Devers has also missed the first few weeks of Grapefruit League action due to shoulder soreness, and he isn’t expected to play in a game until Saturday.
Had Devers stood his ground and remained at third, Bregman likely would have slid over to second. That would have blocked top prospect Kristian Campbell from ascending to the big leagues, unless the organization committed to using him as an outfielder.
Bregman joined the Red Sox on a three-year, $120 million deal in February, although he has opt-outs after each of the first two seasons. Devers, on the other hand, is locked up long-term with nine years and $284 million remaining on his contract.
Devers, 28, and Bregman, 30, are slated to anchor the Red Sox’s offense in 2025, regardless of who suits up at which position. Devers is a .279 hitter with an .856 OPS for his career, while Bregman has hit .272 with an .848 OPS.
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