Throughout the season, the CBS Sports MLB experts will bring you a weekly Batting Around roundtable breaking down pretty much anything. The latest news, a historical question, thoughts about the future of baseball, all sorts of stuff. Last week we debated whether Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson belong in the Hall of Fame. This week we’re going to tackle Rafael Devers and the Red Sox’s first base situation.
Should Rafael Devers move to first base? Were the Red Sox wrong to ask?
R.J. Anderson: I don’t think the Red Sox were wrong to ask. I do think they’re owed much of the blame in Devers’ refusal to acquiesce. Keep in mind, it seems like Boston didn’t approach Devers about changing positions until after Alex Bregman had signed — that despite being connected to Bregman all offseason. I think that a more proactive approach here would’ve resulted in Devers being more agreeable, to the original move and now to the subsequent request.
As for whether or not Devers should move … I feel that he ought to at least attempt taking up first base. That would be best for the team, and I don’t find it to be an unreasonable or potentially harmful request — yes, it wasn’t the plan even a month ago, but plans often change in this industry on account of injury or underperformance. There are also certain expectations and responsibilities that come with being a team’s highest-paid player. Even so, I understand that a lot of professional sports is about personality and ego management, and that’s something that the Red Sox front office didn’t seem to properly account for over the offseason.
Dayn Perry: I don’t think they were wrong to ask because it’s a fairly rational and not atypical thing that happens in the wake of a major injury to a core contributor. I get that Devers may have some lingering hurt feelings over being asked to move off of third base, but this — being asked to man first base — was entirely unexpected. So, yes, I think he should accept the assignment even if he’s now comfortable in and even fond of the DH role. What I do think would be fair is for Devers to say if I’m moving to first base, then I want it to be long-term. if that means Casas is the DH upon his return from injury, then so be it. To flatly refuse, however, is a disservice to the team, Devers’ teammates included.
Matt Snyder: This feels like something the Red Sox should have prepared for in spring training. It wouldn’t have hurt anything at all to have Devers taking reps at first base alongside Casas. Even if they knew they wanted him to be done at third base — where he led the league in errors each of the last seven seasons — it was always extreme to act like a highly compensated 28 year old would never play in the field again. Obviously, first base was the reasonable option to keep open.
I also don’t think Devers should be acting so offended at the team asking him to do something that they think would help the ballclub as a whole. I don’t think teams should just shuffle players around without regard for what effect it might have, but this was an extreme situation where they needed to maximize their talent by filling first base. I understand that highly paid stars are different than utility players, and Devers is a star, but he isn’t above being asked to play first. We’ve recently seen Mookie Betts move to second base and then shortstop after being one of the best defenders in baseball in right field, Jose Altuve move from second base to left field, Aaron Judge move from right field to center and on and on we could go. If these guys can handle that, Devers can try first base, which is the easiest position on the field. No, I didn’t say it was easy. I said it’s the easiest. There’s a difference.
I think he should give it a shot, even if the front office is to blame for lack of planning ahead.
Mike Axisa: The Red Sox definitely weren’t wrong to ask. Third base to first base is a pretty common move for poor defenders. Miguel Cabrera did it. Albert Pujols did it. Jim Thome did it. Hall of Fame hitters shifted from third to first in their 20s, plus countless others. Asking Devers to play first base is in no way unreasonable. They didn’t ask him to learn the outfield or something like that.
Should Devers move to first? I would like him to at least try it just for the sake of being a team player and not shut down the idea completely, though I do think there’s a chance he’s saving the team from themselves. First base is not an easy position. It is very nuanced with cutoffs and relays and things like that, plus the first baseman is involved in more plays than any position other than pitcher and catcher. Devers is a poor defender as it is. Add in the learning curve and things could get really ugly at first base. I would like him to at least be open to trying to it, though Devers staying at DH is probably best for the Red Sox.
I will also echo what everyone else said. The Red Sox have did poor job of getting buy-in and communicating their plan to Devers. These are the kind of things that should be handling internally and not become a big multi-day story. This should have been kept in-house and not spilled over into what it became.
