Red Sox actions and not words tell the story where Rafael Devers and Alex Bregman will play this season

The Red Sox have maintained their silence regarding where two of their top players on the roster, Alex Bregman and Rafael Devers, will play for the upcoming season.

It’s quite honestly been the worst-kept secret in camp, and the lack of transparency on where both players will ultimately settle on the roster has been borderline insulting to the fanbase. All camp, the team has been subtly telling everyone where each player will slot out by where Bregman has been penciled in the lineup and by keeping Devers hidden on the backfields. Why not just come out and say it? 

“Decisions are going to be made here about roster construction and what we’re going to do in the future,” Cora said in mid-February following Devers' first spring press conference.

Craig Breslow and Alex Cora have not revealed their decision on whether Devers will be the designated hitter on Opening Day, but the skipper did offer some clarity around the situation by telling reporters at Fenway South that he would "probably not" receive any repetitions at third base during Grapefruit League play, effectively addressing the question. 

“I’ll say that whenever I have to say it, but right now, Breggy is playing third today and Raffy’s DHing today,” said Cora.

Ah, finally, the white smoke, I guess.

Devers served as the Sox’ DH on Wednesday; he went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. The Red Sox anticipate he will have plenty more at-bats before camp breaks. Boston has four more games (not counting Wednesday) before they head to Monterrey, Mexico. Devers must get those at-bats in over that time since he won't travel with the team.

It's been abundantly clear throughout camp that Devers would be the eventual DH. Factoring into that decision has been the availability of outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida. After undergoing shoulder surgery at the end of last season, he received clearance to hit while in camp. Yoshida has been the DH, getting 28 at-bats in games, and has started to throw at 90 feet but still has a long way to go before he can play the field. It is anticipated that Yoshida will be placed on the injured list at the start of the season, which will allow Devers to take over at DH.

Throughout the spring, Bregman has been the sole player at third base, while Devers has been in the backfields and in the cages, preparing for this season. Cora has only penciled Devers into three games so far, and both have been at DH.

LACK OF COMMUNICATION

When camp opened, Devers was asked if he was willing to move off third base, opening the door for his new teammate to play the position.

“No,” Devers said repeatedly. “I play third.”

“It’s my decision ... My position is third base. Whatever it is they want to do is what they want to do. But my position is third base,” Devers added.

The defiant Devers chatted with the media for roughly 14 minutes that morning, maintaining his stance that he will not move off third base and will not be the team’s primary designated hitter.

“Third base is my position,” Devers said through translator Daveson Perez. “It’s what I’ve played. I don’t know what their plans are. I know we had a conversation. I made it clear what my desires are. Whatever happens from here, I don’t know.”

“My position is third base. I don’t know how they want to go about it or what they want to do. But that’s the position I get ready to play every day. That’s just my position.”

Ultimately it wasn’t Devers decision, and the Red Sox must have finally made that clear because the once cantankerous slugger seemed to change his tune and all of a sudden was ready to help the team win.

“I just want to help the team win,” he said Thursday. “Whatever position I’m playing, I always take these things as a competition and as a way to get better.

“I’m good to do whatever they want me to do. I’m here to help...I’m just ready to play.”

There was speculation that the frustrated Devers and his representation could have asked Breslow for a trade.

“According to sources, Devers was angry enough about the situation to consider asking for a trade,” wrote MassLive’s Sean McAdam. “And it’s possible that, as part of his ‘private conversations” with Craig Breslow and Co., he indeed relayed that. Devers is savvy enough to know the Red Sox are not about to disclose any such request, since, if it ever came to a point where a trade was seriously considered, the Sox would lose leverage if Devers was rather publicly shooting his way out of town.”

After putting pen to paper, Devers was under the impression that he would be exclusively at third base. When Devers signed his deal, Chaim Bloom was leading the Red Sox front office, and Cora made it obvious: there are new decision-makers for Boston. 

“Different people here, right?” said Cora regarding Devers’ remarks about his long-term deal with the Red Sox. “There’s a different leader here. Chaim is in St. Louis now."

It’s highly doubtful the Red Sox would even consider moving their All-Star slugger. Devers is entering his second season of a 10-year, $313.5 million contract he signed with the club prior to the 2024 season. 

There’s been some fan sentiment that he should be moved in a deal, but the notion of a Devers trade should be immediately dismissed. Boston would have to absorb a significant portion of his salary, and from a player return standpoint, they would receive a negligible amount. John Henry hasn't shown the appetite in wanting to eat any of the money owed to Yoshida to jettison him off the roster. When the Red Sox were shopping former closer Kenley Jansen two off-seasons ago, the team was looking for their trade partner to assume the $16 million he was owed for last season.

Boston has boggled the Devers situation since the offseason. The team was actively pursuing Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado and Bregman once they knew that Juan Soto was out of the picture. To be clear, the Red Sox don’t owe Devers anything regarding what they’ll do from a roster construction standpoint. At some point, you’d think the club would have shared some insight as to their plans for Devers this coming season. Instead it appears they didn’t; Devers had a tantrum and is putting on a smile when in reality, he’s still bitter the team signed someone to oust him off third base.

THE BREGMAN EFFECT

Bregman has been the ultimate professional during the Devers spring drama. The two-time World Series champion immediately assured reporters that he had no animosity towards Devers and expected him to return to his regular position.

“I think everybody here believes in their abilities,” Bregman said a few days after he signed with Boston. “I think all of us believe that if we all put together a good effort this season, we have a really good chance of being a winning baseball team. I can only talk for myself, but I’ll play wherever helps the team win.”

Bregman playing third base makes the most sense; he’s spent his entire career on the hot corner, winning an American League Gold Glove in 2024. Meanwhile, Devers has been the Red Sox' primary third baseman since he came up to the big leagues in 2017. The All-Star slugger has been sound offensively during his time in Boston, but defensively, he’s regressed with -9 defensive runs saved and a -2.6 WAR on defense while making 12 errors last season, the fewest he’s had since 2017, according to FanGraphs. On the flip side, Bregman had six defensive runs saved and a defensive WAR of 8.1.

The Devers debate is finally coming to an end, at least for now, based on the subtle but yet obvious hint Cora dropped on Wednesday morning.