Red Sox Star Rafael Devers Offers New Stance On Possible Position Change

Boston Red Sox star Rafael Devers couldn’t have been clearer nearly a month ago about his desire to not be moved from third base to designated hitter.

But when Devers met with the media Thursday following an intrasquad scrimmage at JetBlue Park, he sung a different tune.

Devers said he met with Red Sox manager Alex Cora and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow a few weeks ago. And whether it was a byproduct of that meeting, a discussion with Red Sox legend David Ortiz or something else, Devers isn’t adamant anymore about only wanting to play third base.

“We spoke already, and I’m good to do whatever they want me to do,” Devers told reporters through translator Daveson Perez, per The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey. “I’m here to help. I’ve already spoken with them about that and they know where I stand, but I’m just ready to play.”

The comments from Devers created some drama since the Red Sox handed a three-year, $120 million contract to Alex Bregman in mid-February. Bregman mostly played third base in his career and came off a 2024 campaign in which he won a Gold Glove Award — the first of his career — at the hot corner.

Bregman was vocal that he was willing to play second base, but it’s something the Red Sox really haven’t experimented with in spring training. Bregman hasn’t played second during the exhibition slate, while Devers still has yet to see the field as he works his way back from ailing shoulders.

Devers, who didn’t get into specific details about his meeting with Cora and Breslow, expects to see spring training action for the first time Saturday — he also participated in the intrasquad scrimmage and hit a home run off Walker Buehler. And Devers also is fully committed to being ready to go in two weeks when the Red Sox open their season on the road against the Texas Rangers.

If Devers is penciled in as Boston’s DH that day, he won’t have an issue with it, either.

“Good,” Devers said on he he would feel about the situation. “At the end of the day, it’s not my decision. I don’t call the shots around here. So I feel good. I’ll go out there and do what I need to do.”