Rafael Devers has ‘productive conversation’ with Red Sox owner amid first base controversy

One day after Boston Red Sox DH Rafael Devers said it was “not an appropriate decision by them to ask” him to play first base in the wake of Triston Casas‘ season-ending knee injury, team executives met with their franchise player in Kansas City. Owner John Henry, CEO Sam Kennedy, and CBO Craig Breslow made the trip, and Henry and Devers met one-on-one.

Here’s what Breslow said about Henry’s meeting with Devers during an appearance on NESN (transcript via The Athletic):

“John, Sam and I flew out earlier today, it was actually John who spoke directly with Raffy. We felt like it was important, based on the situation that unfolded yesterday, to come out here and have an honest conversation about what we value as an organization and what we believe is important to the Boston Red Sox and that is being great teammates for each other. And so we think we had a productive conversation. John seems to have had a productive conversation. And that’s where things stand right now.”

The meeting tells us the Red Sox believe this is a serious matter. Breslow said Devers is an important part of the team and that “it’s important that these things get addressed head-on.” Earlier this week Devers confirmed Breslow approached him about playing first base. That came after a bumpy transition from third base to DH following the Alex Bregman signing in spring training.

Going from third base to first base is not an unusual move. It is a normal career progression, really. In a vacuum, it’s not an unreasonable ask by the Red Sox. There were some headaches about the third base thing in spring training though, after which Devers said the Red Sox “basically told me to put away my glove.” Then they asked him to break it out again.

Clearly, there’s a communication issue here. Regardless of whether you think Devers is in the wrong for declining to play first base or that the Red Sox handled the third base situation — and now this first base situation — clumsily, these are matters that need to be addressed behind closed doors. It shouldn’t spill over and become public. That’s a problem. Get your house in order.

Also, Devers might be saving the Red Sox from themselves by declining to play first base. He was a poor defender at third and he’s never played first base at any level, majors or minors. It is not an easy position and no fielder handles the ball more. There’s a chance Devers at first base would go very poorly and the Red Sox would be worse off in the grand scheme of things.

“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 earlier this week. “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. Right now, I just feel like it’s not an appropriate decision by them to ask me to play another position.”

The Red Sox have played utility men Romy Gonzalez and Abraham Toro at first base since Casas’ injury and their inexperience at the position has shown at times. Boston does not have a natural first baseman stashed in Triple-A and it will be weeks before the trade market really heats up. It’ll be Gonzalez and Toro at first for the time being.

Devers, 28, entered play Friday with a .255/.379/.445 batting line and six home runs. He leads the American League with 29 walks. This is the second year of the 10-year, $313.5 million extension he signed in January 2023. The Red Sox were 20-19 entering Friday’s series opener with the Royals in Kansas City, where Henry met with Devers.