Rafael Devers, Red Sox at odds over his position following Alex Bregman addition
The Boston Red Sox made a major splash in free agency last week, signing Alex Bregman. But it isn't all good news at Spring Training in Fort Myers as it appears the team and star third baseman Rafael Devers are at odds over what position he is going to play.
With the addition of Bregman, there had been speculation that Devers could switch to first base or designated hitter, allowing Bregman to play his natural position.
Will Rafael Devers switch positions?
Reporters asked Devers about the possibility he could switch positions.
"Third base is my position. It's what I've played. I don't know what their plans are. I know we had a conversation. I made it clear, kind of what my desires were and whatever happens from here, I don't know," Devers said through a translator on Monday. "Like I said before. My position is third base. I don't know how they want to go about it or what they want to do, but I know that's the position I get ready to play every day. It's just my position."
Devers was specifically asked how he would react if the team asked him to switch to DH.
"No," he responded.
Alex Cora responds
A short time later, it was manager Alex Cora's turn meeting with reporters.
"Like I said a few days ago, decisions are going to be made here about roster construction and what we're going to do in the future, and we've got to make sure we have the best team possible out there," Cora said. "He has a lot of pride, we know that. He feels like he's a third baseman, he's going to work out as a third baseman, and we're going to make decisions accordingly. I think here it's not about Bregman or Devers or Cora. It's about the Red Sox. Whatever decision we make is for the benefit of the team."
Cora was asked about Devers feeling that when he agreed to a massive contract extension to stay in Boston, he was assured that he would play third base for a long time.
"Different people here, right? There's a different leader here. Chaim is in St. Louis now," Cora said, referencing Boston's former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, who is now an executive with the Cardinals.
