Alex Cora Reveals Spring Training Position Plan For Red Sox Star Rafael Devers

Boston Red Sox star Rafael Devers took it slow to start spring training after ailments to both his shoulders hampered him last season.

But Devers is progressing and Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Tuesday the intention is for him to play in his first exhibition game of the spring next Wednesday.

That isn’t the only plan Cora discussed in regards to Devers. Where Devers ends up on the diamond has become the storyline of Red Sox spring training. Devers was adamant about staying at third base despite the addition of Gold Glove winner Alex Bregman this offseason. Devers did set the record straight about his comments Tuesday.

It looks like Devers will somewhat get his wish — at least during camp — but the Red Sox certainly are keeping their options open when it comes to the 28-year-old franchise cornerstone.

“We are preparing him to play third base. That’s part of the progression,” Cora told reporters, per MLB.com’s Ian Browne. “He’ll DH here and there. I don’t know if it March (5), he’ll play third, but we’ll get him reps. I think people are making decisions already, and we haven’t made decisions.”

Cora noted that Bregman will see time at second base during spring training. But Cora made it clear that no final decisions have been made yet on where Devers and Bregman will ultimately suit up.

The Red Sox surely will want to see how that defensive alignment looks during the spring slate. Cora is confident Bregman can excel at the middle infield spot, but he has just two starts in his career at second. Devers has a bad track record at the hot corner — he has committed more errors than any active third baseman in his career — but the exhibition contests will give him a chance to show he made strides defensively to remain at third.

The Red Sox could explore moving Devers to designated hitter on a permanent basis to improve the team’s defense, which is an area Boston struggled mightily in after leading the American League in errors the past two seasons. But Devers said Cora hasn’t broached that idea with him yet.

“I haven’t had those conversations at all. I like to focus on the reality. I don’t want to think about what’s not right in front of me,” Devers told reporters through translator Daveson Perez, per The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier. “I haven’t had any conversations with him, so I don’t know how to answer that question. But we have good communication, so if they want to talk about it, we can.”