3 teams who should try and pry Rafael Devers from Boston amid Alex Bregman drama

Well, it was fun while it lasted.

The Boston Red Sox signed Alex Bregman last week to rapturous applause and intense celebration in the fandom. Now, a few days into his Red Sox tenure, the whole thing is on the verge of falling apart.

Bregman took his first spring training reps at third base on Monday. That caught folks off guard after Alex Cora's offseason proclaimations about Bregman's upside as a "Gold Glove second baseman." Rafael Devers was promised third base when he inked his $313 million extension, and the Red Sox appeared committed to that setup, for better or worse.

Now it seems like Devers is trending toward a move to second base or DH — a rather drastic shift, and one the All-Star third baseman does not seem thrilled about. When asked if he'd be willing to DH for Boston, Devers gave a straight and simple answer: "no."

When subsequently asked if he'd want a trade instead of changing positions, Devers left that particular door wide open. This is all unfolding in real time, so folks need time to gather their thoughts, but Devers is visibly displeased with Boston's willingness to renege on past promises.

Cora was blunt with reporters, noting that Devers was promised third base under Chaim Bloom's front office, not Craig Breslow's front office. That is sure to spice up Devers' relationship with Boston's higher-ups.

This is all trending in a very uncomfortable direction, and it's not unreasonable to start thinking about potential landing spots if Devers does, in fact, ask to relocate. Boston letting it get to that point would qualify as an all-time misstep, but we can't put it past 'em.

Here's why Devers could end up in a trade.

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3. Detroit Tigers

This probably isn't the most likely of landing spots, but we know the Detroit Tigers badly wanted Alex Bregman, and were willing to offer six years and $171.5 million to get it done. That would've been around $28.6 million annually to Bregman. Devers currently makes $31.4 million annually. It's a longer contract, sure, but Devers is a couple years younger and, well, he's better.

Detroit was MLB's coolest success story last season. A.J. Hinch made the most of a patchwork roster, mixing and matching his lineups to suit each individual matchup. He made the most of pinch-hitters, platoons, and everything else in a manager's back pocket. What the Tigers lack, however, is a proper everyday superstar to anchor the middle of the lineup.

Devers would supply just that. He's a bad defender — maybe the worst corner infield glove in baseball — but it's hard to complain when he's posting an .871 OPS and 28 home runs. At 28, Devers still has plenty of prime years left in the tank. He can grow alongside a young Tigers roster. If Detroit wants to prove its seriousness to Tarik Skubal and keep the Tigers as a postseason staple, this sort of blockbuster investment would do the trick.

2. Philadelphia Phillies

There was a time not so long ago when Alex Bregman to the Philadelphia Phillies felt like a real possibility. Alec Bohm's name was a hot topic in early offseason trade rumors, as it seemed like Philly might try to upgrade the hot corner following another quiet postseason from Bohm.

That never really panned out, and Bohm still feels like a long-term fixture for now. That said, if there's a player worth rethinking your current commitments for, it's probably Devers. The Phillies are dangerously short on high-level defenders, which complicates the Devers fit, but the infield is a Trea Turner position change away from being otherwise rock-solid. Just put Bryson Stott at short, Turner at second (or the outfield), and Bryce Harper at first. It's all very simple.

It feels like next offseason is when Philly might try to engineer another marquee addition, but we can never count out Dave Dombrowski when a big-ticket player hits the market. The Phillies are in an active arms race with Los Angeles, Atlanta, and New York in a highly competitive National League. Stacking Devers behind Kyle Schwarber, Turner, and Harper in the lineup would go a long way toward cementing the Phils as bonafide, top of the top contenders.

1. Chicago Cubs

Few MLB GMs can execute a half-measure better than Jed Hoyer. He feigns an "all-in" approach like nobody's business. The Chicago Cubs finally made an explosive addition this winter by trading for Kyle Tucker, which meaningfully moves the needle in a wide-open NL Central. After signing Tucker, however, the Cubs haggled over money and threatened arbitration, then did very little to build out the lineup around him.

For as great as Tucker is, Chicago sacrificed a pair of All-Star bats in Cody Bellinger and Isaac Paredes to facilitate his arrival. The Cubs were in the mix for Bregman, but ultimately cheaped out. That would've been the kind of move that convinces Tucker, a free agent next offseason, that Chicago is serious about contending. Instead, Chicago is left in a sort of competitive no-man's land, with very clear roster holes negating what should have been a transformative offseason.

Trading for Devers would really cement the Cubs as serious NL contenders. It might also encourage Tucker to stick around beyond 2025. Third base is a weak point in Chicago's depth chart, and the Cubs are equipped with plenty of elite defenders to help soften the downside of Devers on the field. Meanwhile, you'd struggle to find many more potent 1-2 offensive punches than Devers and Tucker at full strength. All of a sudden, the Cubs' lineup can start to trade blows with the likes of Atlanta or Los Angeles.

It's difficult to express much faith in Hoyer getting a deal like this across the finish line, but Devers' long-term contract does mean there won't be a headache associated with keeping him around a while.