Rafael Devers says he won’t move to first base, criticizes Red Sox front office

"I don’t think they stay true to their word.”

Rafael Devers said Thursday that he doesn't intend on playing first base for the Red Sox. (Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe)

By Conor Ryan

May 8, 2025

3 minutes to read

Over the last week, Alex Cora has repeatedly brushed aside talk of the Red Sox asking Rafael Devers to move to first base.

Cora’s hesitancy to shift the newly appointed designated hitter back to the infield was apparently rooted in the fact that the subject was already broached by the Red Sox’s top brass.

Because speaking to reporters after Boston’s 5-0 win over the Rangers on Thursday, Devers made it clear that he has no intention of moving over to first following Triston Casas’ season-ending injury.

Devers aired out his frustrations toward the Red Sox’s front office for asking him to move to first — just a few months after the team made him move off third base to accommodate free-agent pickup Alex Bregman.

“They had the conversation with me,” Devers said through translator Daveson Perez, per MassLive’s Christopher Smith. “I don’t think for me personally it’s the best decision after they asked me to play a different position and I only have two months of playing this position. To all of a sudden have me try to play another position … from my end, it doesn’t seem like a good decision.”

Devers’ spot on the diamond has been an ongoing storyline through Boston’s 2025 season. After Boston signed Bregman in February, Devers stressed that he didn’t have any plans of moving off third base.

“Third base is my position,” Devers told reporters in February. “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.”

“They asked me the question about how I feel about DH and, yeah, I gave them the answer I just gave: No,” he added, noting that it was a “surprise” to be asked to DH if the scenario played out. “I’m someone that I believe in people’s word, and I take it to heart and yeah, it was very surprising that they would suggest that.”

Devers eventually changed his tune and accepted a new role as Boston’s full-time DH, allowing Bregman to play at third for the 2025 season. After a slow start, Devers is now batting .255 with six home runs and 25 RBI this season — slugging a home run in Thursday’s win over Texas.

But Casas’ season-ending knee injury has created another vacancy in Boston’s infield.

So far, Devers has not shown a willingness to move to a new position in order to both account for Casas’ absence and create a new opening at DH for another impact bat — be it Masataka Yoshida or even a blue-chip prospect like Roman Anthony.

“I know I’m a ballplayer but at the same time, they can’t expect me to play every single position out there,” Devers said Thursday. “In spring training, they talked to me and basically told me to put away my glove — that I wasn’t going to play any other position but DH. So right now, I just feel like it’s not an appropriate decision by them to ask me to play another position.”

According to Devers, the onus should fall on the Red Sox’ front office to address the new opening at first following Casas’ injury.

“They told me that they didn’t want to allow me to play any other position,” Devers said. “And now I think they should do their job essentially and hit the market and look for another player (to play first base). I’m not sure why they want me to be in between the way they have me now.”

As for any chance of Devers’ changing his stance moving forward?

“I don’t think so,” Devers added. “They told me I’m a little hard-headed. They already asked me to change once and this time I don’t think I can be as flexible.”

Reporters then asked Devers if he was upset that the Red Sox were the ones to approach him about making another switch this season from DH to first base.

“Yeah. I don’t think they stay true to their word,” Devers said. “They told me I was going to be playing this position, DH. And now they are going back on that. So yeah, I don’t think they stay true to their word.”

While Devers stressed that he has no issues with anyone in Boston’s clubhouse, that sentiment did not carry over to the people making the calls on the team’s roster.

“Here in the clubhouse thankfully the relationship that I have with my teammates is great,” Devers said. “I don’t understand some of the decisions that the GM makes. Next thing you know someone in the outfield gets hurt and they want me to play in the outfield. I think I know the kind of player I am. And yeah, that’s just where I stand.”