The Red Sox have found themselves in a bit of a logjam, haven’t they? Rafael Devers made it crystal clear—he’s a third baseman, and he’s not about to give up his spot just to accommodate Alex Bregman.
And really, who can blame him? The guy’s been the face of the franchise for a while now, and shifting to designated hitter probably doesn’t sit well with someone who takes pride in playing the field.
Bregman Is a Team Player
Here’s where it gets interesting. Bregman, ever the team player, is taking the opposite approach. “I’ll play wherever,” he says, putting the team’s success over personal preference.
And yet, the reality is that he hasn’t played anywhere other than third base since 2019. So, just how flexible can he really afford to be? Theoretically, he has the athleticism to make a move to second base work.
The problem? The Red Sox already have one of baseball’s top second base prospects in Kristian Campbell, and under MLB’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement, there’s a strong incentive to let him start the season in the majors. If he thrives, the team could cash in on valuable draft-pick compensation.
So, what does Boston do? They’ve got three players who all deserve playing time, but only so many spots to go around. It’s a good problem to have, but it’s a problem nonetheless.
Maybe the team finds a way to rotate guys around, give Devers some DH reps without making it his full-time job, or even try to ease Bregman into a new defensive role.
The bottom line? Something’s got to give, and it’ll be fascinating to see how it all plays out when Opening Day rolls around on March 27 against the Texas Rangers. Until then, we wait—and maybe watch for a few more spicy quotes along the way.
