Rafael Devers Reportedly Not Expected to Play in Field for Red Sox During 2025 Season

The Boston Red Sox don't anticipate slugger Rafael Devers playing in the field for the rest of the 2025 season, according to MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam.

“Though manager Alex Cora has publicly left the door open for Devers to eventually start getting reps at first base this summer, privately, team officials remain very pessimistic about the chances of Devers taking the field at either corner,” Cotillo and McAdam reported Friday (h/t Kaley Brown of Boston.com). “This week, one official expressed with some certitude that the experiment would not be happening."

Devers, who has primarily played third base throughout his Red Sox career, switched to a full-time designated hitter after the team handed Alex Bregman a three-year deal worth $120 million in free agency.

He initially resisted the move from the hot corner and said he would reject the position change, but eventually agreed to a DH role.

Devers was eventually approached by the team regarding a switch to first base after Triston Casas suffered a season-ending left patellar tendon rupture, but wasn't interested in doing so.

Now, it appears as though the 28-year-old will spend the rest of the year as Boston's designated hitter.

Devers has excelled in the role, leading the majors with 52 RBIs. He's also racked up 12 home runs, 15 doubles and 46 walks while his .936 OPS would be a career-high mark over the course of a full season.

The Red Sox sit at No. 4 in the American League East standings with a 28-31 record, but they're just 3.5 games back from the final AL wild card spot.