The rocky relationship between the Boston Red Sox and Rafael Devers has reached another turning point, as he is refusing to play first base. The Red Sox have a major hole at first after Triston Casas was ruled out for the season with a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee, leaving manager Alex Cora caught in the middle of a tricky situation.
Ken Rosenthal Admits That Rafael Devers Has Put Alex Cora in a Tough Spot
MLB insider Ken Rosenthal discussed the situation around Devers’ refusal to play first and acknowledged how awkward this has become for Cora. The manager has built a strong relationship with Devers, but also has to align with the plans laid out by chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.
Alex Cora is caught between his $300M superstar and his new boss. 😬
"He, too, is in a difficult spot," says @Ken_Rosenthal. pic.twitter.com/0Dl0aH9tbx
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) May 9, 2025
Devers’ stance is clear: the team told him to focus on hitting, and that’s what he intends to do. He’s not interested in learning a new position midseason. There are still some lingering frustrations over being moved from third base to designated hitter in the offseason to make room for Alex Bregman. The decision was widely seen as the right one, as Devers has been among the league’s worst defensive third basemen over the past few seasons.
Still, it’s worth remembering that Devers signed a 10-year, $313.5 million contract largely because then-chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom told him he would be the team’s long-term third baseman. Bloom has since been fired and replaced by Breslow, who has not honored that commitment. Devers reportedly considered requesting a trade but agreed to serve as the full-time DH after some time to cool off.
The Red Sox Have Not Taken Advantage of an Easy Schedule
The Red Sox are currently 20-19, despite having had the easiest schedule in baseball so far. Boston has played 30 games against teams currently under .500, which is the most by a decent margin. The next closest team is the Dodgers, who have played 24 such games.
Things are about to get tougher, with upcoming series against the Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, and Kansas City Royals—three of the hottest teams in the league.
Figuring out the first base situation is crucial if the Red Sox want to stay in playoff contention. Devers will be under pressure to produce at the plate, especially following his controversial stance. He advised the team to explore the trade market for a first baseman, even though his own position switch could have opened the door for top prospects Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer to reach the big leagues.
Whatever the Red Sox decide to do, they better do it quickly.