Rafael Devers just might be the Boston Red Sox’s Opening Day DH after all. Earlier this spring, Devers said he considers himself a third baseman and would not move to DH in deference to Alex Bregman, the superior defender. On Thursday, Devers walked back those comments, and said he would be OK with being the DH on Opening Day.
“I don’t make those decisions,” Devers added (via The Athletic), adding he feels bad for creating a distraction and that he’ll do “whatever they want me to do” (via MLB.com).
“It’s been kind of sad that I’ve been put out there as someone who’s back in the organization or not, not about this organization, but I’ve matured a lot during this and I’m ready to move forward,” he said (via NESN).
It is worth noting that Devers has not yet appeared in a game this spring. He is nursing a shoulder injury and was originally expected to make his spring debut last Wednesday, but it was pushed back a few days, then a few more days, then a few more days after that. Devers is tentatively scheduled to play in his first game Saturday, though that is written in pencil, not pen.
Furthermore, Bregman has played nothing but third base and DH this spring. With Devers at third, Bregman would have to slide over to second base, a position he has not played since 2018, and he has not played second at all this spring. If the Red Sox intend to play Bregman at second this year, they aren’t doing a very good job of preparing him for it.
Defensively, it is inarguable the Red Sox are better with Bregman at third and Devers at DH. Devers has led the league in errors at third base every year since 2018, and the advanced defensive metrics rate him as below average as well. Bregman remains an above-average gloveman who won his first Gold Glove in 2024.
“I think there’s a lot of decisions that we have to make around (third base), right?” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said during an MLB Network interview earlier this month. “Raffy was loud and clear. He’s a third baseman … I think that first game in Texas we will do whatever is good for the Boston Red Sox and they are all on board. There’s a lot of conversations and we’ll see what happens.”
Devers, 28, is entering the second season of the franchise-record 10-year, $313.5 million contract he signed in January 2023. The Red Sox signed Bregman, 31 later this month, to a three-year, $120 million contract with two opt outs earlier this winter. However they are aligned defensively, both will be counted on to provide big numbers offensively in 2025.
The Red Sox went 81-81 last year and then had a big offseason, one that netted Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler in addition to Bregman. Boston has been hit hard by injuries this spring though. Righty Lucas Giolito is the latest Red Sox pitcher to get hurt and will begin the regular season on the injured list.
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