Rafael Devers, the Boston Red Sox’s designated hitter, has firmly shut down any possibility of a position switch to first base. This comes after the team approached him about filling the void left by Triston Casas’ season-ending knee injury. Speaking publicly for the first time since Casas’ surgery, Devers made it clear that he’s not interested in changing positions again so soon. He already transitioned from third base to DH earlier this year following the Red Sox’s acquisition of Alex Bregman.
Devers, a three-time All-Star, emphasized that he doesn’t believe a switch to first base would be beneficial for him or the team. He pointed out that the organization essentially told him to leave his glove at home during spring training, indicating that a move to DH was final. He feels that asking him to play first base after that decision would be inappropriate.
He confirmed that he spoke with Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow about the situation. Devers believes that Breslow, a former major league pitcher, understands the challenges of adjusting to a new position. He feels the Red Sox should be actively seeking another player to fill the first base role instead of relying on him to switch positions again, even suggesting that the team might ask him to play in the outfield if another injury arises. Devers expressed his frustration with the team’s seeming backtracking on their initial commitment to him as the full-time DH.
For now, the Red Sox are employing a platoon system at first base, using Romy Gonzalez and Abraham Toro. Devers’ stance remains firm: he’s a designated hitter and will not be moving to another position, even if the team’s current first basemen underperform.
