Rafael Devers Says He Will Do Whatever Red Sox Want Him to Do After 3B, DH Comments

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers previously told reporters he has no desire to move from third base to designated hitter this year after the team signed Alex Bregman in free agency.

On Thursday, however, he appeared to have softened his stance significantly on a potential role change:

What a difference a month makes.

On Feb. 17, Devers told reporters: "Third base is my position. It's what I've played. I don't know what their plans are. I know we had a conversation. I made it clear, kind of what my desires were and whatever happens from here, I don't know."

A week later, Devers indicated that there was no rift between him and the team, but doubled down on wanting to stay at third base.

"I don't have any beef with the team at all about anything," he told reporters. "We've made a lot of good moves this year. We're a really good team. I think we have a good opportunity to make it to the playoffs and play winning baseball, but third base is what I see myself playing this year."

Moving Devers off third base always made the most sense for the Red Sox, however. Bregman won the Gold Glove Award at the position last year, and while he is also capable of playing second base, the Red Sox have options like Kristian Campbell, David Hamilton and Vaughn Grissom currently competing for the job.

Devers, meanwhile, has led the American League in errors at third base in seven straight seasons and led all of baseball in third-base errors five times. His bat is valuable, but he's a defensive liability at the hot corner.

For the Red Sox, moving him to designated hitter always made the most sense. It was just a matter of making sure Devers was on board.