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Rafael Devers changes tune on moving from third base to DH originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

A more open-minded Rafael Devers spoke to the media Thursday in Fort Myers, Fla.

The Boston Red Sox slugger made his first public comments since Feb. 17, when he initially stated he would not be open to moving from third base to designated hitter with the arrival of Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman. However, after productive conversations with manager Alex Cora and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, Devers has softened his stance.

“We spoke already, and I’m good to do whatever they want me to do,” he said, per MLB.com’s Ian Browne. “I’m here to help. I’ve already spoken with them about that and they know where I stand, but I’m just ready to play.”

Moving Devers to DH with Bregman at third would greatly improve Boston’s infield defense, one of the club’s biggest weaknesses in 2024. Devers is the only third baseman in MLB history to lead the position in errors for seven consecutive seasons, committing 12 last year.

While Devers’ newfound willingness to DH is encouraging, the three-time All-Star’s absence from spring training games has raised concerns. He explained why he hasn’t been in the Red Sox lineup while confirming he plans to make his spring debut Saturday against the Atlanta Braves.

“Yeah, it’s just my decision, you know,” Devers said, via Browne. “Like I said, my shoulders are fine. They’re good. It was just my decision to want to take a little bit more time to get right. I hadn’t picked up a bat from the end of last season to when I got here in January, so I just felt like I needed that little bit of extra time.”

Bregman was initially expected to be Boston’s Opening Day second baseman with Devers remaining at third. However, this spring, Bregman has played almost exclusively at the hot corner with no appearances at second. That suggests he is all but locked in as the Red Sox’ third baseman for 2025.

If Devers does move to DH, the next question is how Masataka Yoshida fits into the equation. Yoshida served as the team’s primary DH throughout 2024 and was expected to reprise that role before Bregman’s arrival. Even if the Red Sox give him more time in the outfield, there’s a logjam there as well, with Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Rob Refsnyder, and top prospect Roman Anthony all expected to play key roles.

Cora has plenty to think about over the next couple of weeks as he finalizes his Opening Day roster. Boston will begin its 2025 campaign March 27 with a four-game series against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field.