Boston Red Sox fans were riding high on the teams' best vibes in a long time when Alex Bregman finally signed on Feb. 15.
The mood shifted swiftly, though, when Rafael Devers told reporters he wouldn't move off third base if the Sox hoped to play Bregman there. The Red Sox didn't guarantee that the longtime Astros third baseman would take over at the hot corner if they signed him, but a similar promise was allegedly made to Devers.
After the 28-year-old signed his 10-year contract extension before the 2023 season, Boston's previous chief baseball officer, Chaim Bloom, promised Devers a few years at third base before any potential position changes were discussed. Red Sox manager Alex Cora doesn't seem to have any reservations about moving Devers, anyway.
"There's a different leader here. Chaim is in St. Louis right now," Cora said in his Feb. 17 presser at Fenway South.
LIVE: Alex Cora sits down with the media after full squad workouts. https://t.co/kD5Sd2YWLR
— Red Sox (@RedSox) February 17, 2025
Alex Cora's comments sound like the Red Sox already prefer Alex Bregman at third base
Cora didn't say, "we'll see how spring training plays out," or, "we'll see who wins the second base job." He just alluded to not having to keep the promise that Bloom made, which could be detrimental to Devers' chances of keeping his job in the field.
Bregman is definitely the better defensive choice at third base, and there isn't much room for argument there. He's fresh off a Gold Glove-winning campaign with the Astros and he's never posted a below-league-average season in terms of range in his entire career. In contrast, Devers has led MLB in errors five times in his eight-year career. He led the American League in two other years.
But playing Bregman at third base creates other question marks in the lineup. If the Red Sox move Bregman to third, they would have to find an everyday second baseman or platoon players there. Vaughn Grissom and Kristian Campbell are the best options besides Bregman, but Grissom only has 95 games of MLB experience and Campbell doesn't have any — there's no guarantee either will thrive. Masataka Yoshida would also have to return to the outfield if Devers occupies his 2024 slot at DH, and the former also isn't a defensive savant.
Despite the complications, Devers' history means he'll have to fight for his job instead of being the Sox's default choice. Cora's comments suggest he may be leaning toward Bregman, who has been splitting his spring training workouts between second and third base.
If Devers hopes to remain Boston's primary third baseman, he will need to step his defense up enough to justify playing him there over a Gold Glove winner. The Red Sox signing Bregman has turned the race for third base into one of the most interesting and critical position battles of their spring training.