Former Houston Astros Star Is Now in Awkward Situation With Boston Red Sox

A now former Houston Astros star may be involved in a dramatic conflict with his new teammate.

Oct 2, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third base Alex Bregman (2) warms up before game two of the Wildcard round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs against the Detroit Tigers at Minute Maid Park. | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

A former Houston Astros star seems to have found himself in a sticky situation involving his new team.

When Alex Bregman signed with the Boston Red Sox on a lucrative, short-term deal which is set to pay him $40 million per year over three seasons, it was shared he likely would make the switch to second base.

Former Astros bench coach and current Red Sox manager, Alex Cora, spoke earlier this offseason about seeing him as a natural second baseman.

For Bregman, a college shortstop who never played second in the minor leagues and has played there for just 32 of his near 10,000 MLB innings, making a switch of that magnitude would be a huge undertaking for a player who has become one of the better defensive third basemen in baseball.

Since he signed the deal, however, that appears to have changed, and it's not making his new teammate happy.

Rafael Devers is among the most feared hitters in the league and is under a massive long-term deal with Boston. It also just so happens he's one of the weakest defensive third basemen in the sport and the team could stand to benefit from using him at designated hitter.

Asked about the conundrum on Monday afternoon, Devers told the Boston media point blank he would say no if asked to DH and that third base is his position.

Through his translator, he said he was promised when he signed his long-term deal with the team he would be their third baseman of the future.

Things got even messier when Cora was asked about the situation and said even more bluntly those who made Devers that promise are no longer with the organization.

It seems safe to say both Cora and the organization want Bregman - a Gold Glove winner in 2024 - to man the hot corner and have Devers ease into the transition of hitting only, but perhaps this is something they should have ironed out with Devers prior to signing Bregman.

Now, the situation for Houston's AL foe has become a public embarrassment and one of the Red Sox's best players is publicly unhappy while the newest investment is left in limbo.

Most likely, Devers will come around to the idea of letting Bregman take over, but it's safe to say Boston has a little bit of a situation on its hands as they try to flesh out what the best thing is to do for the greater good of the team.