The Crimson Sox have held inner discussions relating to the potential of transferring longtime third baseman Rafael Devers throughout the infield to first base, per a report from MassLive’s Sean McAdam. McAdam goes on to recommend that the membership views a commerce for third baseman Nolan Arenado as a possible choice to fill their emptiness on the scorching nook within the occasion Devers adjustments positions.
The thought of Devers transferring to first has beforehand been floated by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and The New York Post’s Jon Heyman, although McAdam’s report stands as the primary affirmation {that a} place change for Devers is into account inside the group. Beforehand, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has declined to touch upon the potential of transferring Devers off third past saying that the membership wouldn’t severely entertain the thought with out first discussing it with Devers. That could possibly be a complicating issue ready change, as Devers’s agent, Nelson Montes de Oca, not too long ago informed Alex Speier of The Boston Globe that Devers has no plans to maneuver off the new nook.
“He’s a 3rd baseman,” Montes de Oca informed Speier, “and he’ll proceed to play third base and work arduous to get higher at it. That’s his place, that’s what he likes to play, and that’s what he shall be taking part in.”
Resistance to a place change from Devers’s camp isn’t the one potential impediment to a transfer. In spite of everything, the Crimson Sox have a particularly proficient incumbent first baseman in Triston Casas, who at simply 24 years outdated stays below staff management for 4 extra seasons and has previously expressed interest in signing with Boston on a long-term extension.
The teen missed a lot of the 2024 season resulting from damage however is a profession .250/.357/.473 (125 wRC+) hitter since making his large league debut late within the 2022 season. There’s been hypothesis this winter that the Crimson Sox may take into account transferring on from Casas to land beginning pitching, however Breslow was quick to shoot down these rumors. On condition that, a transfer to first base for Devers would require the entrance workplace to both reverse their stance on dealing Casas or else park him at DH frequently, pushing Masataka Yoshida (and the three years and $55.6M remaining on his contract) both to the bench or off the roster solely.
Sophisticated as a place change for Devers can be, the potential advantages for the membership could possibly be substantial. Devers is among the many worst fielding third basemen within the sport by most metrics, and a transfer throughout the diamond would probably enhance the membership’s infield protection dramatically.
In 2024, Devers was value -9 Defensive Runs Saved and posted a -5 in Statcast’s Fielding Run Worth metric. That’s the bottom DRS and tied for the bottom FRV amongst all certified (min. 750 innings) third basemen this 12 months. Changing Devers with a mean and even barely under common glove at third would enhance the membership’s infield protection significantly, however a place change for Devers would probably be simply as motivated by it creating an avenue to bettering the membership’s offense.
If third base have been to be opened by Devers transferring to first, that might create a straightforward place for the Crimson Sox so as to add a right-handed bat to the lineup. Including some thump from the appropriate facet has been a priority for Boston relationship again to the commerce deadline, and the membership’s want for a right-handed hitter so as to add to their offense solely grew extra pronounced when outfielder Tyler O’Neill hit the open market.
Most consideration on this want has been targeted on the outfield given the membership’s reported interest in both a reunion with O’Neill or pivoting to a cope with Teoscar Hernandez, however the membership’s outfield stays crowded with Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela all within the combine for enjoying time, together with prime prospect Roman Anthony (or veterans Yoshida and Rob Refsnyder), who must be able to tackle an everyday function in some unspecified time in the future in 2025.
Sophisticated as that outfield image already is, it’s straightforward to see why including a right-handed bat to the infield could possibly be a preferable, extra simple possibility than including one other participant to the membership’s logjam on the grass. On condition that, it’s maybe no shock that the staff has been related to each Astros third baseman Alex Bregman and Brewers shortstop Willy Adames in free company. Each gamers have expressed an openness to transferring to second base (in addition to third, within the case of Adames), which means the addition of both participant wouldn’t essentially require Devers to vary positions. With highly-regarded second base prospect Kristian Campbell seemingly within the combine for begins in Boston as quickly as Opening Day, it’s straightforward to see why the Crimson Sox might desire to put in Bregman or Adames on the scorching nook and transfer Devers to first.
McAdam’s suggestion that Arenado could possibly be a consideration for the Crimson Sox is the primary connection between Boston and the veteran star. Not like Bregman and Adames, it’s all however unfathomable that a10-time Gold Glove award winner like Arenado would change positions in deference to Devers, which means a deal for the 33-year-old will surely require a place change for the youthful star. Arenado can be coming off his second consecutive down season offensively. Whereas he was a finalist for the NL MVP award again in 2022, he’s hit simply .269/.320/.426 (104 wRC+) in two seasons since then.
That mentioned, Arenado’s protection has remained nicely above common even when it’s now not fairly as elite because it was throughout his peak, and that’s allowed him to be a roughly three-win participant in every of the previous two seasons. Whereas he might now not provide the identical degree of affect as Bregman or Adames, the three years and $74M remaining on his contract pales compared to the nine-figure sums each free brokers are anticipated to land and would probably do little to impede Boston’s pursuit of different top-of-the-market names like Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes and Blake Snell, particularly if a deal concerned the Cardinals both retaining some cash or taking over a large portion of Yoshida’s contract in return. Any deal involving Arenado, after all, would require the veteran’s approval given his full no-trade clause. Whereas the 33-year-old hasn’t requested a trade so far, each he and the Cardinals look like open to parting methods if the appropriate deal comes alongside given the membership’s plans to retool and give attention to youth in 2025.
