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Rafael Devers is the Boston Red Sox’s designated hitter.
And he’s not interested in another position switch.
Speaking with reporters for the first time since Triston Casas was ruled out for the season after rupturing his left knee tendon and undergoing surgery, Devers said on Thursday that Red Sox management approached him about the idea of filling in as Boston’s first baseman.
The three-time All-Star doesn’t see it in his best interest to make another position switch after being asked to move from third base to DH during spring training after the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman to play third.
“They came to me and talked to me about it,” Devers said after homering and driving in two in Boston’s 5-0 win over Texas.
“I know I’m a ballplayer, but at the same time, they can’t expect me to play every single position out there. In spring training, they talked to me and basically told me to put away my glove. I wasn’t going to play another position other than DH. Right now, I don’t think it would be an appropriate decision by them to ask me to play another position.”
Devers, who signed a $311 million, 11-year deal to stay with Boston in January 2021, said he spoke with Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow about the prospect of playing first in Casas’ absence.
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For now, Boston is filling the first base spot with a platoon featuring Romy Gonzalez and Abraham Toro.
“He (Breslow) played ball. I would like to think that he knows that changing positions isn’t easy,” Devers said through Red Sox interpreter Daveson Perez.
“They put me in this situation. They told me they didn’t want me to play any other positions.”
Devers offered a suggestion to Breslow, who pitched 12 major league seasons and was a key member of Boston’s bullpen when the team won the World Series in 2013. Breslow is in his second season leading the Red Sox baseball operations department.
“Now, they should do their jobs essentially and hit the market and look for another player. I’m not sure why they want me to be an in-between,” Devers said. “Next thing you know, someone in the outfield gets hurt and they want me to play in the outfield. I know the kind of player that I am and that’s where I stand.”
Asked about changing his mind in the event the Red Sox receive little production from the current group of first basemen, Devers reiterated that he’s a full-time DH.
He also stated that he was upset that Boston would consider him taking over a position where he’s logged zero innings as a big leaguer.
“They told me that I’m a little hard-headed, but they already asked me to change (positions) once. This time, I don’t think I can be as flexible,” Devers said. “I don’t feel they stayed true to their word. They told me I was going to play this position, DH. Now they’re going back on that.”
What sticks out amid Devers’ reaction is that his manager, Alex Cora, hasn’t publicly shown any desire to push Devers on a switch to first. Per MassLive on Wednesday, he gave a prompt answer of, “No” when asked about if he would talk to Devers about moving to first, and when appearing on WEEI the same day, he went into more detail, but with the same result. “Right now with [Devers], he’s very comfortable with his role, right? And we asked him to do something in spring training that as you guys know, he didn’t agree (with) in the beginning. And then little by little, he has embraced it because he knows the quality of the player that we have at third base, where we’re at as a team. I always say that time is our best friend in situations like this.”
Cora might be insinuating that Devers will warm up to the idea with time, but it’s just as likely that he’s suggesting a non-Devers solution will present itself eventually, as well. What is known is that it’s a difficult situation for all involved, especially since Devers has never played first base as a professional, at any level.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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