The Boston Red Sox are still hunting for someone to take over at first base in the wake of Triston Casas' season-ending knee injury.
Romy González and Abraham Toro have taken over in the short term, but the former experienced an injury scare in Boston's May 7 game against the Texas Rangers to reveal just how slim its first base depth is. Since the moment Casas left the field on May 3, some fans and analysts have called for Rafael Devers to take over at first base.
Devers avoided interviews with Red Sox beat reporters from the day of Casas' injury until May 8, when he homered against the Rangers and couldn't dodge media any longer. Boston's designated hitter revealed that he's unwilling to play first base, for now.
Through a translator, Devers shared that Craig Breslow came to him to ask about another position swap after Casas' injury. Devers said that now is not the time for him to switch positions again. He also said he feels like the Red Sox have gone back on their word by asking him to return to the field so soon. He also felt like the organization did not keep its word when management asked him to move off third base — he was allegedly promised a few years there by the Chaim Bloom administration when he signed his 10-year extension.
“I know I’m a ballplayer but at the same time, they can’t expect me to play every single position out there,” Devers said, per Christopher Smith of MassLive. “In spring training, they talked to me and basically told me to put away my glove — that I wasn’t going to play any other position but DH. So right now, I just feel like it’s not an appropriate decision by them to ask me to play another position.”
Devers has caught a lot of heat from fans about not being a "team player." Some of it is justified, as he should want to do what's best for the team in order to win.
Red Sox deserve some blame for Rafael Devers' refusal to play first base
Red Sox management has hardly been a "team player" this year, though. Devers told reporters that the front office did not approach him about potentially changing his position until after the team had already signed Alex Bregman (subscription required). Boston pursued the third baseman from December to February, and neglected to inform its face of the franchise that it might play him elsewhere until he had already arrived at spring training, ready to work. It's foolish of the Red Sox to expect him to pick up his glove again and be happy about it after the way he was treated this spring, especially when 2024 was the best defensive season of his career.
Devers eventually warmed up to the idea of being the DH when he realized it was best for the team. After a disastrous start to the year at the plate, the slugger has hit his stride, and he's batting .321/.435/.607 with four homers, 11 walks and 13 RBI in his last 15 games. He may not want to risk another dry spell, but Devers emphasized that his relationship with his teammates is great — if the Red Sox can convince him that playing first base is best for the team, he could agree in time.
A move to first base for Devers could open the DH slot for Masataka Yoshida or Roman Anthony, and could help ignite the offense to break free of the Sox's recent .500 plague. Hopefully, Devers comes around to playing first base, but if he doesn't, the Red Sox front office deserves some of the blame.