Another layer of complexity has been added to the Rafael Devers-Alex Bregman saga. So far, defensive skills, contract length, and upcoming prospects have been the primary talking points in the Devers vs. Bregman as the Sox's everyday third baseman debate. But player health should come first and foremost.
MLB Network analyst and host of Hot Stove Harold Reynolds pointed out the risk to Devers' health and performance if he's moved to designated hitter.
"When you take a young player like Raffy Devers and say 'DH,' you’re also saying 'go back and eat.' You're not moving your body. You're not doing the things we want. We watched it with [Vladimir Guerrero Jr], we watched it with a young David Ortiz," Reynolds said. "You can't take a young guy and think he's going to be active and he'll continue improving, and he's not going to gain weight."
Reynolds' comments back Triston Casas' stance that Devers should be the starting third baseman.
"I think it's Raffy Devers' position. I think he's the third baseman, and at that point, that's where it stands, and he's done it for a really long time now and I think he's only getting better at that position. [...] We don't know what the future holds but we know it holds Raffy Devers," Casas said last week.
MLB Network's Harold Reynolds joins the Rafael Devers/Alex Bregman third base debate as Red Sox stay noncommittal
Alex Bregman and Garrett Crochet looked sharp in their Red Sox Spring Training debuts yesterday 🤩#MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/em1A0AO4u1
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 24, 2025
Optimizing Devers' health immediately becomes the most important deterrent for moving him to DH. At age 27, he's already endured plenty of injuries in his career. He missed nearly a quarter of the 2018 season from left shoulder inflammation and a strained left hamstring. And, in 2024, he missed about a month due to shoulder, knee, and bone bruise issues. Although he hasn't missed nearly as much time as the likes of Mike Trout or Jacob deGrom, Devers doesn't need to lose more at-bats from inactivity.
Moving Devers back and forth between third base and DH may seem like a compromise, but in the long run, it could hurt the team. Devers will only become a better defender if he gets daily fielding experience, and he can't do that sitting on the bench. The added activity from regular fielding will help curtail muscle soreness and stiffness that comes with age.
If the Sox want to maximize Devers' playtime in the majors, they'll keep him in the infield. Shifting infielders to DH is typically done when there's a health or mobility issue that limits a player's ability to contribute defensively, but that doesn't yet apply to Devers. He's still playing in over 75% of games and he isn't a liability to the point of needing to pull him from the infield entirely.
An unhealthy, inactive Devers only hurts his productivity and may hinder Boston's success. Not only could the Red Sox lose more games with Devers out of the lineup, but they could lose value if they decide to trade him. If the Sox want to show Devers that they care about his success in MLB, they’ll ensure he gets plenty of reps at the plate and in the field.