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Red Sox promote top prospect Rafael Devers to fill void at third base

By Jason Evans

PORTLAND, ME - JUNE 24: Sea Dogs' Rafael Devers steals third base during the fifth inning of their game against the Harrisburg Senators Saturday, June 24, 2017 in Portland, Maine. (Staff Photo by Joel Page/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, ME - JUNE 24: Sea Dogs' Rafael Devers steals third base during the fifth inning of their game against the Harrisburg Senators Saturday, June 24, 2017 in Portland, Maine. (Staff Photo by Joel Page/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images) /
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The Boston Red Sox have struggled to get any production out of third base this year. They hope top prospect Rafael Devers can be the solution.

With just over a week to go before the MLB trade deadline, the Boston Red Sox still have not been able to get any production out of third base. They decided to pay Pablo Sandoval to go away and ate the remaining $49.5 million on his disastrous free agent contract.

Guys like Devon Marrero, Brock Holt, Marco Hernandez and Josh Rutledge just haven’t produced. Instead of trading for someone in what is a weak trade market, the Red Sox have decided to look within and promote their top prospect, Rafael Devers to man third moving forward.

MLBpipeline.com has Devers ranked as the top third base prospect and 12th overall.

In 77 games at AA, Devers hit .300 with a .944 OPS, 18 homers and 56 RBI. In just eight games at AAA, Devers hit .355 with a .992 OPS and two homers.

Devers will make his major league debut on Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners.

As soon as Devers was promoted to AAA, it was a matter of time before he got the call to the show, especially in the way that they haven’t gotten anything out of the position. The Red Sox get a week to see what they have in Devers.

If Devers struggles, the Red Sox are going to have to figure out an option at third. They could go after San Francisco Giants infielder Eduardo Nunez who is set to be a free agent. They could make a deal with the Mets for Asdrubal Cabrera, who just began to play third and could be an option, even on their bench for next season if they pick up his option. They could trade for David Freese who can provide depth at both corner infield positions.

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It’s a smart move by the Red Sox to do this. You may as well take a look at him before the trade deadline and see if Devers can handle the position. If he struggles, you still have a week to get someone, and the could also add during the August waiver period as well, though that can get tricky.

The Boston Red Sox are among the handful of teams that can win the World Series. They can’t let the lack of a third baseman get in the way.

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