Rafael Devers might end up playing first base for the Boston Red Sox after all. Less than 48 hours after the highest-paid member of the team went scorched earth on general manager Craig Breslow for asking him to switch positions for the second time in 2025, owners John Henry and Sam Kennedy joined Breslow on a flight to Kansas City to speak with Devers, which Henry did most of. And coming out of it, there does appear to be some optimism that, at least eventually, the switch to first base can happen.
Henry nor Breslow didn't fully divulge the details of their conversation with Devers. However, per Chris Cotillo of Mass Live, it does appear that much of it was about getting the front office and the player on somewhat of the same page. So much so that Breslow even admitted that, after hearing his superstar slugger's comments on Thursday, he recognized that he might've miscommunicated the situation to Devers and/or handled it worse than he should have.
What stands out the most, though, is that manager Alex Cora was again asked about the first base situation and his response, if you read between the lines, tells you everything you need to know about the Red Sox's plan. Cotillo reported that Cora said that Devers still won't be playing the position right now, but it was what he said after that left the door wide open.
"That's not the plan right now," Cora said. "The plan is to keep having conversations."
Red Sox sound like they're giving Rafael Devers time but will eventually move him to first base
Cora has been staunch in his support of having conversations and Devers not being the team's immediate replacement for Triston Casas after he suffered a ruptured patellar tendon, ending his season. Having said that, this is right out of the manager's playbook. Even with the move from third base to DH in the spring, Cora was methodical in massaging the situation in the clubhouse until everyone seemed content in their roles.
You can even see Cora, amid all of the current drama, doing that exact thing in the media. He directly addressed Devers' comments, saying that he and his star DH had already had some conversations prior to Breslow's now-infamous exchange with Devers. He also admitted that he agreed with some of what Devers said in his fiery comments and respected him speaking his mind. However, he followed that up with Cotillo but, once again, leaving the door open for a position switch.
"The most important thing here is we’re trying to accomplish something big here," Cora said. "Obviously, there’s changes in the roster, situations that happen and you have to adjust. Or you have to adjust again."
Beyond that, one of the clubhouse leaders in Boston, Trevor Story, also iterated that he would continue to have conversations with Devers in the clubhouse about a possible move to first base.
What's clear from all of this, though, is that the Red Sox still believe that their best option, at least internally, to fill the void left by the Casas injury is Devers. Breslow even said as much to Cotillo, noting that the now-DH has years of experience at a corner infield spot. However, it's also clear that it might take time to both get Devers to come around to that idea and to get him ready to put on the first baseman's mitt.
After all of the drama, though, it does seem like the Red Sox, Cora especially, are willing to wait whatever time it takes to get the best option out there. But despite all that's happened, don't be surprised if we see Devers at first sooner rather than later.