The Boston Red Sox have made a decision after a brutal season-ending injury to first baseman Triston Casas, but it might not last long.
The team was forced to find a substitute after a knee injury led to surgery for Casas. In both of their weekend games following that injury, the Red Sox started right-handed hitter Romy Gonzalez in the first base spot.
Gonzalez has rewarded that decision by logging four hits in six at-bats across that pair of games, but his career .251/.283/.393 slash line in limited opportunities suggests he might not be a permanent solution for a team looking to return to the playoffs.
Instead, speculation has centered on a move for franchise slugger Rafael Devers, who was taken out of the third base role to start this season and moved to designated hitter, even after he voiced his interest in playing defense.
“But considering his experience on the other infield’s corner spot, integrating into the new position might be a very real solution (for Devers),” Rob Bradford argued for WEEI. “Devers wants to play the field, and this is the field.”
Devers’ manager, Alex Cora, has been adamant that the slugger is sticking in the DH role. But the player has refused to speak about it for himself.
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“FWIW: Devers does not want to talk about this for whatever reason,” MassLive’s Chris Cotillo reported, regarding a potential move to first base. “He has declined interview requests from the beat three times in the last 36 hours knowing what the line of questioning is going to be.”
Cotillo defended Devers’ decision not to speak to the media at this time. Other users on X took issue with his decision, with one calling it “pouty behavior,” for instance.
After fielding some difficult questions as the team looked to move him out of the hot corner, Devers is likely trying to avoid stirring any controversy. But as a clear defensive opportunity has opened up for him, sooner or later he will have to answer questions about filling in for Casas.
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