KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Rafael Devers voiced his displeasure with a proposed position change, and the following day, Boston Red Sox owner John Henry flew in with team executives to address the issue directly with Devers and manager Alex Cora.
Devers had been asked to consider stepping into the first baseman role after Triston Casas underwent a season-ending surgery due to a torn left knee tendon. Initially a third baseman, Devers had been moved to a designated hitter position this spring. When approached about the first base role, he firmly declined, stating that such a shift wasn’t part of the original plan laid out by the team.
On Thursday, Devers had hit a home run and contributed two RBIs in the Red Sox’s 5-0 victory over Texas. Expressing his perspective, Devers remarked, “They approached me, but I’ve been told to hang up my glove, that I wasn’t needed in any position besides DH.” He added that it would now be unreasonable to expect him to adapt to another position.
Following a meeting with Henry, Devers opted not to comment after the Red Sox faced a narrow 2-1 loss in a 12-inning game against the Royals on Friday. At 28, Devers is in his second year of a hefty 10-year contract worth $313.5 million, having been the team’s primary third baseman until Alex Bregman, considered a better defensive option, joined the team.
The Red Sox’s chief baseball officer, Craig Breslow, discussed the need for an open dialogue following the reaction from Devers. While avoiding the specifics of the conversations, Breslow indicated that Henry’s talk with Devers was “productive” and emphasized the importance of team values and camaraderie.
Devers continued in the designated hitter role during Friday’s game, achieving one hit in five at-bats, with an RBI in the 11th inning. Breslow noted that decisions regarding Devers’ playing position aren’t to be taken lightly or made hastily. “This is about broader discussions and team dynamics, rather than immediate positional changes,” Breslow explained.
Manager Alex Cora acknowledged the importance of the ongoing discussions, seeing the meeting as valuable for the team morale, players, and Devers himself. Cora confirmed that for now, there are no plans for Devers to start practicing at first base, indicating that discussions remain the priority at this stage.
The lingering question is whether these discussions will eventually lead to a satisfactory resolution for Devers and the team without compromising the organization’s strategic goals.