Red Sox sticking with struggling third baseman Rafael Devers

Rafael Devers continues to pile up errors at third base and has taken a step back at the plate yet the Boston Red Sox intend to stick with him.

The Boston Red Sox have some holes to patch up as the MLB trade deadline approaches. Third base isn’t one of them, as far as they are concerned. Rafael Devers is still their man.

Devers made a strong impression following his second-half call-up last year, showing a glimpse of his power potential. His encore performance has been dampened by the dreaded Sophomore slump.

Through 73 games this season, Devers is hitting .232/.281/.414 with 12 home runs and 37 RBI. His countings stats are approximately the same as what he produced in nearly 60 fewer at-bats as a rookie while his slash line has cratered from promising to troubling. Devers has seen his strikeout rate rise from 23.8% to 26.2% and his walk rate decline from 7.5% to 6.6%. He was an above-average hitter last year with a 111 wRC+ only to fall well below-average with an 83 wRC+ this season.

More concerning than his slump at the plate has been his struggles in the field. Devers has shown flashes of potential at the hot corner with impressive range for a player his size. The problem is he’s making too many mental errors and botching routine plays. Devers leads all major league third basemen with 15 errors. His -6 defensive runs saved is worse than all but four players at the position.

Sticking with Devers

The Red Sox aren’t giving up on Devers. They realize he’s still a developing 21-year old, younger than many prospects in their farm system. The team remains confident enough in his abilities that Dave Dombrowski isn’t looking to upgrade at third base prior to next month’s trade deadline.

"“We love him,” Dombrowski told the Boston Herald’s Jason Mastrodonato. “We’re not looking for a third baseman. We like him. He’s our third baseman.”"

The Red Sox seem willing to be patient with their young third baseman and there are signs that their patience is paying off. Over his last 12 games, Devers has hit a slightly more respectable .245 with a .744 OPS and three home runs.

Devers has the type of tantalizing upside that makes him a coveted asset even if he doesn’t realize his potential this year. That may make him more valuable to a rebuilding organization that can afford to bring him along slowly rather than a Red Sox team in win-now mode. That’s why we’ve heard whispers of Devers being a potential trade chip to land an established superstar such as Manny Machado.

Don’t count on that happening. If another team comes along with an offer too good to refuse then Dombrowski will deal almost anyone. But it would take a lot to pry Devers away. The Red Sox believe enough in his potential to develop into a star that they’re willing to endure some growing pains along the way. They aren’t going to give up on that type of upside for a short-term fix.

"“I don’t know where people get rumors. Rumors are just that,” Dombrowski told the Herald. “But we like Rafael Devers and feel that he’s going to be our third baseman for a lot of years.”"

Depth is still important

We should expect Devers to remain the primary third baseman for the foreseeable future. If the Red Sox make a move at that position it will be for depth purposes or a versatile player who can cover multiple positions. Boston already has a few options in that mold, including Eduardo Nunez and Brock Holt, both of whom are capable of playing third.

When it comes to Boston’s trade deadline plans as it pertains to the infield, a lot depends on the status of Dustin Pedroia. Nunez and Holt are needed more at second base during his absence. If Pedroia makes it back to playing on a regular basis then those two replacement options can be utilized more at other positions, including third base. That would make it less likely that they opt to trade for a player at that position.

If Dombrowski intends to upgrade the offense before the deadline then the focus should be on finding a right-handed bat. The Red Sox rank 27th in the majors with a .670 OPS against lefties so a hitter who crushes southpaws should be a priority regardless of position.

Next: Potential Red Sox trade deadline targets

If that bat happens to play third base then their arrival would be intended to compliment Devers at the position, not replace him.