6 DH options for the 2024 Boston Red Sox
If it's not Justin Turner, then who do the Red Sox turn to?
By Rick McNair
DH option for the Red Sox No. 2) Rafael Devers
Rafael Devers can hit, and in 2023, he managed to get 100 RBI for the third time in his seven seasons as the Red Sox third baseman. Third is the issue, as Devers again topped the AL third sackers in errors with 19. This has become a staple for Devers, as is his -9 DRS to, unfortunately, lead the AL.
Devers at third is not working out as a step forward defensively is followed by a step back defensively. Of course, when you hit like Devers, a manager can look the other way with the occasional errant throw and ball being juggled. In 2023, some considered it a tepid season for Devers, and in the grand picture, it may have been.
DH takes a unique mindset; not all players are willing to do it regularly, and Devers may be one. Over his career, Devers has a tiny sample of 13 games as a DH and the .234/.287/.426 with just two dingers and four RBI. Those numbers could reflect what would happen with a change or be an anomaly. Either way, I would keep Devers planted at third, accept the errors, and watch the extra-base hits accumulate. A $30 million DH? Sure.