Boston Red Sox star Alex Bregman will be away from the team over the next few days, as his wife is expecting a child. This will be the birth of Bregman and his wife’s second child, an incredible honor for the two.
However, while Bregman is out, many expected Rafael Devers to return to third base.
According to a recent report from MassLive, that won’t be the case again.
The Red Sox want Devers to be a long-term designated hitter, and while the All-Star might not like that, it’s something he has to deal with.
The Red Sox turned to Romy Gonzalez on Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays, while Devers was the designated hitter, going 1-3 with a walk.
Boston Red Sox star Rafael Devers
Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
“Cora was adamant on Opening Day that Devers, who moved to designated hitter this year, will not play third if Bregman is ever unavailable, even in emergency duty,” wrote MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. “The club wants Devers to fully embrace the routine of a DH, though he continues to take ground balls before games as part of his conditioning routine.”
It’s uncertain why the Red Sox are doing what they’re doing with Devers.
Sure, there isn’t a defensive metric in the world that would suggest he’s even a decent defender, but he’s a $313.5 million player and the star of this squad.
Perhaps something is going on behind the scenes, with Devers expressing his frustration about the decisions over the past few months.
Either way, it doesn’t make much sense to disrespect him in the way they are, and the Dominican Republic native can’t be loving that.
