Rafael Devers has made it clear he’s unhappy in Boston — and now, one of the franchise’s most iconic voices is pointing fingers. Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez didn’t hold back during his appearance on B/R Walkoff Live this week, saying that Red Sox manager Alex Cora bears responsibility for the growing tension between the club and its star slugger.
At the heart of the issue? A murky, mishandled attempt to move Devers to first base — a position he’s never played at the major league level — and the subsequent fallout after the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman, a Gold Glove third baseman who essentially made Devers look like the odd man out.
Pedro’s Point: Keep It In-House
Martinez’s argument centers around discretion. In his eyes, Cora should’ve quietly introduced the position change. In turn, giving Devers time to adjust physically and mentally before the narrative ever left the clubhouse.
“If Alex wanted to tell Devers to go to first and get some ground balls… Devers would have gone,” Martinez said. “Not even Devers would probably realize that he was actually being conditioned to become a first baseman.”
Pedro’s logic? Devers is a team-first guy who doesn’t balk at hard work. He likely would’ve done it without protest if he had been asked to put in extra reps — even in left field or at first — without the added weight of public optics. But now that the story has gone public, pride and perception are involved, which changes everything.
The Bregman Backfire
The situation escalated when Boston signed Alex Bregman, and Devers reportedly learned of the club’s full intent to shift him to first base. Pedro argues that the messaging was flawed, even if that was the plan, particularly because any injury to Bregman would immediately put Devers back at third.
“You can’t tell him, ‘Throw your glove away,'” Martinez said. “The guy’s shy enough. He doesn’t want to look bad… Nobody wants to go in front of 45,000 people and embarrass himself trying a position that he never played.”
Martinez’s emotional appeal goes deeper than strategy. It’s about respecting a player’s identity, especially when that player has been the face of the franchise since the post-Mookie Betts era. Devers isn’t just a bat in the lineup—he’s a cornerstone, and asking him to change positions without buy-in is risky.
The Counterpoint: Cora Tried to Stay Quiet
Of course, the narrative isn’t cut and dry. Cora did try to keep things quiet, at least publicly. It was Devers himself who aired his grievances, revealing that chief baseball officer Craig Breslow had floated the idea of the switch. By the time Cora was addressing the issue in the media, the toothpaste was already out of the tube.
So was it a failure of communication? A misread of Devers’ sensitivity to change? Or just the wrong move at the wrong time? Pedro still thinks Cora mishandled it, not because the idea was wrong, but because the execution lacked finesse.
Fallout and the Path Forward
Now the Red Sox are stuck in an awkward spot. They’ve committed to Bregman at third, potentially alienated Devers, and have created tension where cohesion is needed most. It doesn’t help that Boston sits in a division where every edge matters, and internal drama is the last thing a fringe contender needs.
Devers remains under contract through 2033, but how he views his place in the organization now feels far less certain. And if the situation continues to fester, the Red Sox could face a more serious question down the line: Is this a relationship that can be repaired?
Martinez’s message reminds us that star players aren’t chess pieces—and if you treat them that way, don’t be surprised when they push back.
