Red Sox’s Third Base Drama Could Lead To Prominent Change

What will the Red Sox ultimately decide to do?

Aug 19, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (11) hits a single during the first inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox have had Rafael Devers as their everyday third baseman for the years but could that change this offseason?

This is a topic that has been widely discussed across Boston over the last week or so. Devers made it clear that he doesn’t want to move off third base. The 28-year-old is one of the best sluggers in the American League, but Alex Bregman won a Gold Glove at third base last year so there has been chatter about a potential position change.

There’s likely been too much chatter about this. Spring Training games just began and there’s still roughly one month until Opening Day. This decision will sort itself out. Devers hasn’t seen any game action this spring yet.

It’s too early to know what the team will decide, but ESPN’s Buster Olney shared that he could accept a move if the team asks.

"As some rival staffers watched Devers draw a line in the sand in recent days and say third base is his, and that he won't serve as a designated hitter, the broad consensus was: Yes, he will eventually move. Because at heart, he's an easy-going guy. 'He's like a lot of us -- he likes to be liked,' one evaluator said," Olney said. "'He's going to hang around with (Alex) Bregman and his other teammates and he's going to see how good the team could be, and he'll say yes.'

"But that doesn't guarantee success for him at designated hitter, a longtime executive noted, because some players, even great players, do not respond well to the downtime that comes with being a DH. They prefer the distraction of playing in the field between plate appearances."

This is going to be a talking point all throughout Spring Training, although it’ll just end up working itself out. Boston is going to be good in 2025 as long as it has Devers and Bregman in the lineup.

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