The Boston Red Sox are back in the headlines—but for all the wrong reasons. They made a splash by signing Alex Bregman, but in doing so, they may have stirred up an unintended problem—one that involves their star, Rafael Devers. So, what’s really going on here?
Well, before moving on to the discussions, let’s dive into Rafael Devers’ performance in 2024 at first, where he batted at an average of .272, with 143 hits, 83 RBIs, 87 runs scored in 138 games, and 28 home runs as well. Now his spot at third base is in question after the Red Sox handed Alex Bregman a three-year, $120 million deal.
Devers made it clear—he wants to stay at third. But Spanish MLB insider Mike Rodriguez isn’t happy with how Boston handled the situation. He put it bluntly: “The way they told #RafaelDevers that they wanted him to change positions was not the best. These franchise players must be treated accordingly. You can’t create a bad atmosphere in the team for a player who might only stay for three years, if he ever makes it that far. And in the meantime, your star will be here for another ten years, at least!”
Boston, what’s the play here?
“La forma en que a #RafaelDevers le dijeron que querían que cambiara de posición no fue la mejor. A esos jugadores franquicia hay que tratarlos como se debe.
No puedes crear mal ambiente en el equipo por un jugador que tal vez solo se quede tres años, si es que llega a tanto.… pic.twitter.com/97FAiohw1K
— Mike Rodriguez (@mikedeportes) February 22, 2025
Mike Rodriguez isn’t buying the idea that Alex Cora wants Rafael Devers to switch positions. He believes that’s just noise and bad for team chemistry. Why shake things up for Bregman, a guy who might not even stick around for three years, when Devers is locked in for at least ten?
Rodriguez has plenty of respect for Devers, calling him an excellent third baseman—maybe not quite at Bregman’s level, but close enough. Just look at the numbers: Devers had 12 errors last season; Bregman had 10. Not exactly night and day. And if Bregman shifts to second base? He could thrive there too.
So, is this a real problem or just an overblown debate?
Alex Bregman clears the air on his playing position
Ever since the former Houston Astros’ All-Star Alex Bregman signed with the Boston Red Sox, there have been a lot of speculations surrounding him. However, Bregman made his intentions clear, dismissing any disagreement with Rafael Devers and confirming that it all comes down to winning the game. He even mentioned that it doesn’t matter much and that he is ready to play at second, third, or anywhere else. But that’s not all!
Alex Bregman had been quite good in this 2024 season, where he made a .260/.315/.453 slash line in the 145 games he played and made 635 plate appearances while hitting 26 home runs, 75 RBIs, and 30 doubles. Given that Bregman is approaching 31 and will be 33 years old when the contract ends, he may opt out in 2027 in case he gets any better offers. Meanwhile, it is also true that despite Bregman’s addition to the team, Rafael Devers remains a key player in the club who will continue to contribute to the club for long.
So, with Bregman confirming everything to be fine with Devers, do you think that the Red Sox will be able to get the best of him in case he has to change his position? Let us know in the comment below.
The post Spanish Insider Blames Red Sox for Promoting “Bad Atmosphere” By Mistreating Rafael Devers for a Temporary Star appeared first on EssentiallySports.
