Red Sox infielder sticks up for Rafael Devers, says Alex Bregman should switch positions

One Red Sox teammate has Rafael Devers’ back.

Boston first baseman Triston Casas said Devers should stay at the hot corner despite the recent signing of Alex Bregman, the reigning AL Gold Glove at third base.

Devers made it clear Monday that he doesn’t want to change positions.

“It’s Raffy Devers’ position,” Casas said. “He’s the third baseman and at that point, that’s where it stands, and he’s done it for a really long time now and he’s only getting better at the position. His defense is getting better every single year, we don’t know what they future holds but we know it holds Raffy Devers.

“He’s got to play defense, it’s going to keep him athletic and he’s going to hit and because of him being at third base, he doesn’t know any other position and he doesn’t want to play any other positions, and he’s going to fight for it, even if it’s with any of the younger guys, any new guy. I think he’s the best third baseman in the league, I wouldn’t take anybody over him. I think he should play third base.”

The feel-good vibes after the Red Sox landed Bregman on a three-year, $120 million contract have seemingly dissipated since it seems there may be a debate about the team’s best roster configuration.

Boston brass has not come out and said that Devers will handle third base, which indicates that the team may have the incumbent move for Bregman and become the designated hitter.

Bregman had a plus-6 defensive runs saved rating at third base last year, compared to Devers’ minus-nine mark, per Baseball Reference.

Devers, though, said he won’t go to first base nor designated hitter nor anywhere else. He believes he’s a third baseman.

He also cited how previous top baseball executive Chaim Bloom told him he would stay at third base after signing an 11-year extension with the team.

“I believe in people’s word and I take it to heart and I was very surprising that they would suggest that,” Devers said through an interpreter.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora noted how Bloom is no longer with the Red Sox, which means that promise doesn’t hold as much weight as it once did.

“Different people here, right?” Cora saidt. “There’s a different leader here. Chaim (Bloom) is in St. Louis now.”

Bregman said he’s open to playing wherever the team needs him to in order to win, which could end up being second base.

The deeper cut to this whole debate is that if Devers plays first base, it would move Casas to either a designated hitter role or potentially being left out of the lineup.

Casas believes Bregman can make the smooth shift to second base.

“He’s going to make the transition well, he’s athletic enough to,” Casas said, “and I think Trevor (Story) is going to play an awesome shortstop.”