The Boston Red Sox may have a problem on their hands.
Incumbent third baseman Rafael Devers is not willing to change positions. Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reported that Devers is not interested in becoming a designated hitter, saying “No. I play third.” when asked about a position change. Ian Browne from MLB.com reported that Devers said he “made it clear” to manager Alex Cora and general manager Craig Breslow that he wants to remain at the hot corner.
Devers has been entrenched at third base during his tenure with the Red Sox. The three-time All-Star is in the midst of an 11-year, $331 million extension he signed ahead of the 2023 season, locking him in for the foreseeable future.
The problem is that Devers has struggled defensively at the hot corner. He has led American League third basemen in errors every year since 2018 and has cost the Red Sox 80 runs at third since breaking into the majors.
The Red Sox had been linked to third basemen throughout the offseason. Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado had been a frequent subject of trade rumors with the Red Sox prominently featured. The Red Sox had also been linked to third baseman Alex Bregman before he ultimately signed in Boston on Wednesday night.
Bregman solves several problems for the Red Sox. He has a career .272/.366/.483 batting line with 191 homers and 265 doubles in his 4832 plate appearances, providing another solid bat in the middle of the lineup. Bregman has also saved 28 runs at third in his career and was the 2024 AL Gold Glove winner. However, Jeff Passan from ESPN had reported that Bregman may move to second to defer to Devers.
The Red Sox are looking to return to the postseason for the second time since winning the 2018 World Series. Adding Bregman, and installing him at third base, would be a significant step in that direction. While Devers wants to remain at third and is refusing to change positions, he needs to do what is best for the team. That means packing up his glove and embracing the designated hitter role.
