The Red Sox announced this afternoon that they’ve placed infielder Romy Gonzalez on a the 10-day injured list due to a left quad contusion. Infielder Nick Sogard was recalled from Triple-A to replace Gonzalez on the active roster.
The loss of Gonzalez is particularly devastating for Boston given that he’s been filling in for Triston Casas at first base after the latter underwent season-ending knee surgery. The 28-year-old has hit quite well in that fill-in capacity, slashing .308/.362/.423 in 17 games for the Red Sox this year. Gonzalez had been handling first base as part of a tandem with Abraham Toro in Casas’s absence, in part due to the refusal of Rafael Devers to play first base. That refusal and Devers’s subsequent comments expressing frustration with chief baseball officer Craig Breslow for bringing up the possibility of a move to first base after Devers had already been moved from third base to DH this spring has ignited plenty of public scrutiny that eventually led to a meeting between Devers and club owner John Henry.
It still seems as though there’s no plans to have Devers begin taking grounders at first, much less play the position in a game. As noted by MassLive’s Chris Cotillo, manager Alex Cora commented on the first base situation with reporters earlier today.
“He’s DHing today… We’ll keep talking about stuff. We’ll keep looking for alternatives, with what we need to do to keep getting better,” Cora said of Devers, as relayed by Cotillo. “Of course, we’ve got Romy, we’ve got Toro and now we’ve got (Sogard). That’s the route we’re going to have right now.”
While Cora name-checked Gonzalez as an option at first, he’ll be unavailable for at least the next ten days. That leaves Toro and Sogard as the most likely options to handle first in the meantime. Outfielder Rob Refsnyder has some first base experience and could be another option, but Cora has expressed hesitance about taking him out of the outfield mix in the past and Cotillo relays that the veteran is currently dealing with back spasms that leave his status as day-to-day.
The combination of Toro and Sogard at first base isn’t exactly an inspiring one. Toro is a career .219/.283/.350 hitter in the majors who has gone just 2-for-14 with two strikeouts and zero walks or extra base hits at the big league level to this point in the year. Sogard, meanwhile, got his only big league action last year when the Red Sox leaned on him as a utility man in 31 games. During that brief look in the majors, Sogard hit a below-average .273/.326/.325 with a 29.1% strikeout rate. Gonzalez’s eventual return should help matters, and fortunately the nature of his injury does not seem severe enough that an extended absence should be expected.
Even so, one must assume that the Red Sox are looking at other options given the worrisome state of first base. If Devers is still not an option to get work in at first base, perhaps the team will be able to swing a minor trade to add a depth option like DJ Stewart, Dominic Smith, or Joey Meneses who’s not currently on a 40-man roster. None of those names would be especially impactful, but the fact that major trades at this point in the calendar tend to be exceedingly rare figures to limit Boston’s external options.
The 1B drama continues at Boston. The front office should have talked to Devers about this way before Casas got injured, as a possibility to spot him on days off or if he was a little banged up. The Boston media too, knew that Devers would react like this and have enjoyed the drama…
Why? They are not required to talk to him beforehand. Other teams don’t. They have a need. They tell the player where he will be playing. That is the way it works. Any fault for drama is not on the media or the Boston FO, it’s all on Devers and only on Devers.
The team said your not playing the field and now two months later they want him to play the field.
Maybe they should have had him taking reps at 1B and 3B while mainly focusing on DH.
But hey, I’ve said since the beginning that Devers being a full-time DH is foolish and I hate to say I told ya so but …
What does that matter? Devers doesn’t have a choice. Henry, Kennedy, and Beslow flew to KC and told him exactly that. In essence they came to say, “Shut up, play where we tell you, or we will put you on the restricted list and you will get paid nothing. You do not get to refuse to play no matter where we tell you to play.”
If you think Devers being a full time DH is stupid, you have clued us all into your complete lack of knowledge of baseball. He is the worst defensive 3B in the game. His WAR would have been better the last 4 seasons playing DH than playing 3B, so he would have provided value more towards the team winning games by being a DH. His range is the biggest problem, so moving to 1B is not going to solve most of his defensive woes. But he IS better than Sogard or Toro overall at 1B even with subpar defense, so he needs to suck it up and do what is best for the team.
He didn’t take reps at any position because his shoulders were both injured. He didn’t even take at bats in spring training until mid-March because his shoulders were injured. The Red Sox attributed his struggles at the plate early in the regular season to the fact that, wait for it, his shoulders were both injured. If you actually paid attention instead of just running your gums or fingers in this case, you would already know that.
What is guaranteed to be foolish is any comment you make.
There was a verbal commitment made to him prior to signing the extension. Cora has publically acknowledged it.
If the Red Sox place him on the restricted list, the MLBPA files a grievance so quickly and would win. The Sox have no leverage here.
Devers being a full-time DH only is dumb because he is SIGNIFICANTLY more valuable if he can play 3B (and potentially 1B) even in a pinch. It would also have completely avoided the situation we are in now. So looks like you “clued us all into your complete lack of knowledge of baseball”.
And you have no idea how war works. His poor defense does not overcome the MASSIVE positional penalty that is applied to a DH. Come on man, if you want to insult people you can’t be that sloppy.
What’s more valuable, a guy who can only play DH, or a guy who can play 1B and 3B poorly and have the same hit tool?
Hm…. I wonder
Management nor ownership nor the league can treat a player like that, Devers is going to get his money.
You signed Devers to the long term deal, its your job to keep him happy while you are paying him for his services.
The manager can tell Devers he is starting at first base but why would you run a guy out there who doesnt want to play the position? You’re trying to win ballgames.
You have a 30M / yr. DH for eight more seasons, deal with it and manage your roster (GM) and your team accordingly (Cora).
Devers did not create this problem.
I prefer keeping Devers at DH as I think it will keep his shoulders healthy.
Websoulsurfer,
True, but considering how he’s had communication issues, a simple meeting in the offseason would have avoided the little gotcha moments the media is feasting on. But yes, he’s getting paid, he’s not working on getting his bag, and needs to be a team player too.
He. Doesn’t. Have. A Choice.
the team is under no obligation to tell him in spring training that he might be playing 1B. Their obligation is to do what will give the team the best chance of winning. BOTH of Devers were injured and he didn’t even take at bats until mid-March, let alone play a position. Add to that the fact that his defense is so bad at 3B that every game he played there hurt the team’s chance to win.
Thos “gotcha moments” are 100% and only on Devers. He has an agent and a translator. He knows better. He has chosen to be the worst kind of teammate. He has chosen to come across exactly like a petulant child. Again, he has chosen to make those comments.
If they are under an obligation to do what’s best for winning or for the team then getting Devers prepped to play a position he has never done before is in the teams best interests. Devers isn’t without fault but the team bares the significant amount of blame for this situation.
I was trying to give him a little credit, but yeah he’s going to have to play or not get paid. Me personally? If I’m getting paid 31m a year over 10 years, I will juggle balls on top of the dugout if the front office asks me to haha!
In a Wally The Green Monster suit?
He certainly has a choice. Boston can put him on the restricted list but it doesn’t exactly make the team better to , especially since they’re only playing .500 ball. Such a move would also hurt Devers’ trade value. Devers has leverage as Boston needs bats and it’s not really ideal for them to trade him for pennies on the dollar.
Both parties have played a serious role in Effing up this situation.
The more I see this played out the more I think Devers just doesn’t want to embarrass himself in the field. Perhaps watching an average+ fielder like Bregman gives him a clearer picture just how much of a liability he was in the field. I don’t blame him for not wanting to play 1b but the criticism is he’s not even willing to try to learn the position.
Anthony Rizzo on line number one
Its going to be Bregman or Story at first and Mayer at SS.
No…
Doug Mienkewicz on line 2.
Time for Devers to pick up a first base mitt and start taking If practice. Again, he has no choice. As with DH, he can’t refuse to play there if he wants to get paid.
Devers “come to Jesus” meeting with Henry, Kennedy, and Beslow was to tell him exactly that. Shut up and play ball where we tell you to play or enjoy sitting on the restricted list not getting paid all those millions you signed for.
Buddy, are you unfamiliar with one Anthony Rendon? Piss off Devers enough, oops rolled my ankle at 1st base…must be out for the season. Repeat next spring training, then repeat in Apr 2027 etc. Or maybe youve heard of Steven Strausburg, 35M a year for 7 years and the Nats got like 5 starts. That contract is guaranteed…once players sign them, they have all the leverage. It’s the teams job to keep the player happy so they try to live up to the contract.
I thought I had seen completely stupid comments on the subject and then you come topping them all.
He has no leverage. He can’t fake an injury. There are these people called doctors. If he refuses to play 1B, he goes on the restricted list and guess what, he doesn’t get paid.
Why would you as a manager of a team that spends 250M annually on salaries to win baseball games put a guy out at first base who tells you that he is not happy at the position?
Every game counts in MLB, in September, the difference between a wild card and missing the playoffs is often a few games.
You are correct, Cora could say to Devers, “your starting at first” – could have a well oiled first basemans glove conditioned for him, and could run him out there everyday if thats what Cora wanted to do as the teams manager.
However, it would be Devers choice as to how he plays the game
Devers has all the leverage in that regard. How he prepares for the games, how he swings the bat, how he fields the ball, how focused he is. You don’t want unhappy players taking the field. You dont want them taking at bats.
Ownership could bench Devers, take the game away from him, and pay a 30M dollar popcorn popper, but that is bad business, that isn’t winning business.
Ownership and management screwed this up, not Devers. They need to trade him at this point. And they might have to send out prospects to do so.
The Red Sox were in such a good position with this rebuild, the Devers situation is a real mess.
It makes more sense to bench Devers than send out money plus prospects just to send him somewhere to be happy.
If it gets to being *that* broken of a relationship, it’s up to Devers how he wants to go down in history as
“Nick Sogard” is a weird way to spell Roman Anthony?
Could he be much worse than devers would be?
Trade Devers for Schwarber and a prospect put Schwarber on first at least we still have a bat. Schwarber only has one year left, Devers ain’t happy, seems like a reasonable fix
Bryce Harper wouldn’t put up with Devers
Papelbon wouldn’t put up with Harper.
you arent getting schwarber and a prospect – youd be lucky if you could move off Devers contract at all, it’s approaching negetative value at this point, and not because Devers can’t play, because teams know they can leverage the Red Sox in a trade.
Harper to 1B. Altuve to LF. Bellinger to 1B. Trout to RF. Tatis Jr to LF. Puljos to 1B. Miggy to 3B than to 1B. Papi to DH. Ernie Banks to 1B. Jim Thome to 1B then to DH. Pete Rose to OF than to 3B than to 1B…Rose played 500 games at 5 positions.
I could name 20 more stud players before doing a google search. Devers is just young and sensitive, he’ll come around.
Weird how none of those guys had the team tell them that they should hang up their glove, that they’re not playing defense that year, and then in a few short months backtracking on that.
Maybe instead of telling Devers to hang up his glove, they could have had him taking reps to prepare incase of injury at 1B or 3B.
But hey what do I know, I just said the entire time that Devers as a full-time DH was a dumb idea. I hate to say I told you so but… Yeah.
We don’t know if Devers was told to hang up his glove, because only he has said that. No one else in the organization has.
He didn’t take reps at any position because his shoulders were both injured. He didn’t even take at bats in spring training until mid-March because his shoulders were injured. The Red Sox attributed his struggles at the plate early in the regular season to the fact that, wait for it… his shoulders were both injured. Pay attention. Maybe every comment you make won’t look totally ignorant if you do.
so your solution is put a below average defender who’s never played the position coming off wait for it, bilateral shoulder injurers to grab a 1B glove and suddenly be good at it? that sounds pretty ignorant.
Web – when Devers said the original statement about the promise to be the long term 3B, Cora publically acknowledged it. I would tend to believe him here because he told the truth there.
and during spring training he probably didn’t take reps there because, you guessed it, the team has decided that he was no longer going to play the field. Wow it’s amazing how it all comes together huh. Thanks for proving that point.
Acell10- Anybody can play 1B. He doesn’t have to be good at it. He has to hit and freeing up the DH would be a boon for the team. I’d leave him at DH and put Campbell at 1B though. I’m so sick of Devers.
fish/fletcher: not anybody can and I don’t want to have to figure out if Devers can or can’t in the middle of a season.
Joe – Again, Pete Rose played 500 games at 5 positions and he started All Star games at 5 different positions.
Great players want to show they are great, they face challenges head on. If Devers was mad about being told to hang up his glove, he now has a chance to put it back on at a less complicated position.
Devers is young and sensitive, but he likely comes around. He already has the contract that is fully guaranteed, and he already has the reputation of being a bad 3B thrower regardless of how he handles 1B. There is nothing but upside potential in him moving to 1B. He needs an ego death and greatness awaits on the other side.
You think Pete rose would have dealt with his team treating him like the Sox have treated Devers? That’s quite bold.
And Devers wanted to show how great he is. The team told him no. He won’t get the chance to.
So now they can clean up their mess.
Stop kissing Devers’ keister. Pete Rose was a team player who would play anywhere and did to help his team win. How dare you demean Charlie Hustle by comparing him to the big baby brained blunderer.
It’s a shame Pete didn’t know the definition of the word statutory.
Pete Rose also had no trouble penciling himself into the lineup years after he was a productive player. But I wouldn’t go looking to Pete Rose as a scion of selflessness for a lot of other reasons, too.
Joemo – Pete was the 2B All Star starter in 1965 and he moved to LF in 1967 at age 26 for a rotational door of 2B.
He was an All Star in LF in 1967 and then moved to RF in 1968 where he was an All Star. In ’69, at age 28 and already a 3x All Star at 3 positions, he split time in CF and RF….again was an All Star.
’72 to ’74 = CF, 2x All Star, ages 31-33
’75 to ’78 = 3B, 4x All Star, ages 34-37
’79 to ’86 = 1B, 5x All Star, ages 38-46
I think it’s fair to say age 28 Rose was a far superior player to age 28 Devers and he had no issue moving to new positions for the team. Rose was on the record as willing to move for other players and/or for the teams defensive needs.
Mule – Yes, and Devers thinking he will play 3B that whole contract is equal to Pete playing 1B in his early to mid 40s.
My point is a nuanced one about team needed positional moves by a player who was a multi time All Star on the field. Devers is moving postions at age 28 as a 3x All Star at 3B. At 28, Rose was a 3x All Star at 3 different positions and would go to move positions 4 more times.
The only one to say anything about hanging up a glove was Devers, who qualified it by saying ‘they basically told me’…
GA – remember when Devers said something else the team said, and it sounded crazy but turned out to be true? I believe him right now because of that.
You can also include Aaron Judge and Mookie Betts on that list of top-tier players who have moved multiple times to benefit team needs…..
3B to 1B:
Jim Thome
Paul Molitor
George Brett
Chipper Jones
Freddie Freeman
Miguel Cabrera
Albert Pujols
Carlos Santana
Edwin Encarnación
Kevin Youkilis
Chris Davis
Vladdy
Don Mattingly LF to 1B also….
Probably 50% of major league players were shortstops.
Devers is a 28 year old 9 year veteran. Young he is not- sensitive he is. Although, I’d say more like fragile.
Put Story over there and call up Mayer. If Devers can play first, Story sure AF can.
Move Cambell to 1b! He already plays like one, just let him hit and he’ll be fine. And then call up Mayer or Anthony (w/ Rafaela at 2b)
That works too.
My feelings exactly. Campbell is a poor 2B defensively.
I’d put Campbell at 1B, Story at 2B, Bregman at SS, Mayer at 3B, Anthony in LF, Duran in CF, Abreu/Refsnyder platoon in RF, Wong at C and Devers at DH with Rafaela and Romy as utility guys
Why would you move bregman off 3b where he just won a gg to put mayer and campbell..both very young rookies to positions they have never played? ..and platoon abreau? He won a gg in rf last year defensively this alignment makes no sense
Abreu is already platooned dude. He doesn’t hit LHP and Refsnyder is great against LHP. That is the existing situation- not my idea.
Bregman is a natural SS and is probably better defensively then Mayer and Mayer looks more like a 3B- his scouting reports say he could end up there eventually.
3B is easier than SS and 1B is far easier than 2B. You don’t know what you’re talking about. Campbell is learning 2B this year, he was a CF last year and has played SS- not 2B.
My idea is the best infield possible. I’m so sick of people doubting grown men being capable of playing a different infield position. It’s not like learning how to hit and throw 98. Nor is it rocket science. Moving from outfield to infield and vice versa is a bigger move than infield to different infield position.
Based on stats i could find campbell seems league avg or a little better compared to.all current mlb 2b
Based on my eyeballs he turns routine throws into near errors for no reason and has screwed up covering 2B bag multiple times. He hits well enough to play 1B and could be a stellar 1B defensively with his athleticism and range. Why put a slow guy at 1B if you don’t have to? Plus he’s 6’3″, which makes him the tallest Red Sox player after Casas.
Come on dude pay better attention campbell is not slow..explain 24 sb last year??
Bro can you not read English?
Im not your bro champ.do you need glasses?
.you missed abreau playing againt a lefty..like right now lol
Look here f*ckstick. Just because you’re too stupid to comprehend what you read doesn’t mean you gotta pick a fight. I’m not even gonna explain what I said to you. What I said is easily comprehendable; it’s not Shakespearean poetry.
Really good take! Would love to see them try this. I heard something about waiting on Mayer and Anthony until something to do with service time but this would be a good solve!
Damn… Gonzalez has been playing well too. Should be back in 10 days with only a contusion.
Breath of fresh air-not having to listen to OB this weekend in KC🥳
Entitlement thy name in Rafael Devers. Looks like uncle Leo playing third.
Yaz went from LF to first. He won a triple crown. Devers could not carry his glove.
It’s Karma for all the negative spin they’ve put on players and managers once they’ve left.
YAZ was in left field when he won the triple crown.
Ok dude..im literally watching abreau play against one if the toughest lefties in mlb right now..care to rethink that one sure doesnt look like a platoon tonight huh? Bregman hasnt played ss since college..hes now over 30 and a natural 3b .you clearly dont know what you are talking about
I have a hard time buying, regardless of whether I think Devers is wrong, that he “must” play 1B. I’d imagine there’s some language in the CBA or some precedent to guide, but “must” is a very broad term. I think we’d all agree that Boston would likely not have the right to make him catch or pitch, or play shortstop. Let’s put aside whether he should, for the good of the team, etc. “Must’ he, or risk being on the Restricted list?
I think it comes down to his contract provisions and where he has the skills to reasonably perform.
Call up Vaughn Grissom to play first base
I came here to read thoughtful spirited dialogue. SMH. You guys just want to destroy each other. SMH.