Rafael Devers’ unwillingness to play first base after Triston Casas suffered a season-ending knee injury last year didn’t sit well with Tom Werner.
“I don’t like to speak ill of any player. I’d like to say that he’s a wonderful person,” the Red Sox chairman told The Boston Globe. “But, of course, when we had an injury at first base his unwillingness to play that position was extremely discouraging.”
Devers was taken off third base after the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman and moved to the designated hitter spot in Boston’s lineup. He initially said he didn’t want to move from the position he played for his entire career, but Devers eventually agreed.
He was beginning to find a groove after a slow start at his new position. But then just over a month into the season Casas ruptured his patellar tendon. The Red Sox approached Devers about returning to the field, but he declined.
“It was a discouraging episode,” Werner said. “Just pick up a glove.”
Devers expressed his displeasure about Boston asking him to play first base after he was told in spring training to put the glove away.
“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 last year. “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.”
Devers was ultimately traded to the San Francisco Giants in June. He played 17 games at first base for his new team and said he’d “rather be on the field” because it’s a way to keep him active.
Going into 2026, the Red Sox find themselves with questions at third base once again. Bregman departed Boston after one season and signed a five-year deal with the Chicago Cubs. Boston traded for Caleb Durbin, who played 131 games at third in his rookie season with the Milwaukee Brewers last year. Marcelo Mayer can also play third, as can Isiah Kiner-Falefa.