When the Boston Red Sox convinced Alex Bregman to sign a three-year, $120 million deal in free agency last week, it seemed like it could be a perfect fit. Boston needed both an infielder and a right-handed hitter, and Bregman's pull-happy swing seemed tailor-made to rake at Fenway Park. Sure, the Red Sox already had their third baseman of the present and future in Rafael Devers, who had already made his feelings about shifting to designated hitter perfectly clear. But Bregman was willing and able to shift over to second, where Boston had a gaping hole; problem solved, right?
Well, not exactly. While most onlookers assumed that Bregman would slide over to second base to keep everybody happy, it looks like the team had other ideas. Bregman was spotted taking grounders at third during Monday's spring training workout, raising questions about his ultimate defensive home. Those questions only got louder when Devers was asked about the matter, and made no bones about the fact that he had no interest in becoming anything like a regular DH.
Asked if he’d wanted to be traded if the team decides Bregamn is at third.
— Jen McCaffrey (@jcmccaffrey) February 17, 2025
“That’s a tough answer to give. I haven’t given it much thought. I’ve been here my entire career. I haven’t asked myself that question. I’m open to listening. I’m not close to those conversations.”
In Boston's defense, you could argue that, in a vacuum, the team's optimal lineup involves Bregman at third, Devers at DH and top prospect Kristian Campbell taking over the job at second whenever he's ready. Devers has never been the best defender, certainly not in the same category as Bregman, while Campbell figures to be best utilized on the infield dirt where he's played most of his career to date.
But these decisions don't happen in a vacuum, and if Devers isn't on board with it, that's a problem for the Red Sox. He remains the team's offensive engine, a homegrown superstar with MVP upside who's about to enter the second year of a 10-year contract. He needs to be kept happy if Boston has designs on competing for a World Series in 2025, and that's going to require a tactful hand from leadership.
Unfortunately, "tactful" is ... not what the team got from manager Alex Cora.
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work onThe Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB offseason.
Alex Cora makes clear he's on Alex Bregman's side in Red Sox third-base spat
Cora, of course, spent years as a coach with the Houston Astros, during which time he became awfully close with Bregman. Boston's manager was openly advocating for the team to sign the two-time All-Star throughout the winter, and when he finally got his wish, he couldn't hide his excitement.
It's understandable for Cora to celebrate the signing of a star player, and for him to have a pre-established personal connection with a member of his clubhouse. It becomes a problem, though, when that connection affects how he manages delicate situations, and it sure seems like that's the case after reading what he had to say about the Devers drama.
Asked about Devers being told he’d be at third base for a long time when he signed his extension, Cora said “different leadership. That was under Chaim. He’s in St. Louis now.”
— Jen McCaffrey (@jcmccaffrey) February 17, 2025
Well okay then. Cora is technically correct, of course: Devers signed his extension in January of 2023, some seven months before Breslow was hired to replace the deposed Chaim Bloom. And it's understandable for a new braintrust to have different ideas about how best to use a team's talent; again, in an ideal world, Devers wouldn't be relied on to play such a premium defensive position.
But the fact is that the Red Sox need Devers as much, if not more, than Devers needs them. Cora might not like being held hostage, but Devers has been nothing but clear about how important it was for him to continue to play the field — something that, it should be said, he's worked hard to improve at over the course of his career. Having a hard conversation with a player is one thing; putting that player on blast in the media, while also taking a swipe at a rival executive, will do way more harm than good, and smacks of Cora letting his personal affection for Bregman color the way he runs his team.