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Nathaniel Lowe Drawing Trade Interest

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Nationals first baseman Nathaniel Lowe is drawing some early trade interest. Sean McAdam of MassLive relayed on the Fenway Rundown podcast (link to full pod and to Lowe clip) that at least one club has contacted the Nats to gauge Lowe’s availability. McAdam adds that he wasn’t able to confirm which club put in the call, though he suggests it was very likely the Red Sox, on account of their obvious need at the position.

Lowe, 29, is a logical trade candidate. The Nats have been rebuilding for many years and are currently 22-27. They’re not totally buried in the standings but there are three strong clubs above them in the National League East. Lowe is slated for free agency after 2026 and is unlikely to be a big part of the next competitive window.

If he does end up traded this summer, it would be his second time being flipped in the span of less than a year. The Rangers sent him to the Nationals in December in exchange for left-hander Robert Garcia. Lowe’s four years in Texas had gone quite well. From 2021 to 2024, Lowe took 2,576 plate appearances as a Ranger. He hit 78 home runs, drew walks at a strong 11.3% clip and kept his strikeout rate at an average-ish 23.3% pace. He produced a combined line of .274/.359/.432 in that time, leading to a 123 wRC+. He helped the Rangers win their first championship in 2023.

He’s been out to a slower start this year. His 9.3% walk rate and 27.8% strikeout rate are both worse than during his time in Texas. His .223/.298/.397 line on the season leads to a 94 wRC+. It’s possible there’s some luck at play. His .275 batting average on balls in play is below this year’s .290 league average and also the .339 rate he carried during his time as a Ranger. His average exit velocity and hard hit rate are actually up relative to his career norms, according to Statcast.

Lowe is making a notable salary, though not an egregious one. It’s $10.3MM here in 2025 and can be retained via arbitration in 2026. Though his 2025 isn’t out to a roaring start, his contract status and past track record could make him a sought-after trade candidate this summer.

That’s unlikely to happen soon, however. As relayed by McAdam, most teams are reluctant to depart with a key player this early in the season as it would send a message to their fans that they are giving up. At this part of the calendar, teams are asking for essentially twice as much as they would for the same player at the deadline. Along those lines, the Nats are planning to keep Lowe around for now, both in the name of keeping their contending hopes alive for now while also having him serve as a veteran leader for a roster mostly composed of younger players.

Perhaps that will change as the deadline approaches but clubs looking for first base help will have to look elsewhere for the time being. The first base position has been a talking point in Boston for weeks now. Triston Casas suffered a ruptured left patellar tendon on May 2nd and required season-ending surgery. In the immediate aftermath of that development, it was reported that the Sox were exploring the trade market.

It’s possible that Lowe is one of the external options they considered but they haven’t been able to get anything done. Given McAdam’s framing of the current prices, that’s not especially surprising. That has left the Sox to try internal options for now.

Rafael Devers was approached about the possibility of taking up the spot but is apparently uninteresting in doing so. Romy González got a few starts at first after the Casas injury but he himself then landed on the 10-day injured list due to a left quad contusion. Abraham Toro and Nick Sogard have been getting the starts there over the past two weeks. Toro is hitting .192/.192/.346 this year while Sogard has a line of .222/.276/.259, so the Sox will naturally keep looking for better options.

The Sox have been getting Kristian Campbell prepared to play first but that’s a work in progress as he’s never played there before. If the Sox feel comfortable with him sliding over, it’s possible that prospect Marcelo Mayer could take over second base for Campbell. If that arrangement works out somewhat well, perhaps the Sox would be less interested in Lowe come July, though it’s also possible that other injuries lead to more positional shuffling in the months to come.

Photo courtesy of Brett Davis, Imagn Images

Kristian Campbell Taking Drills At First Base

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Kristian Campbell started doing first base drills before the Red Sox’s series opener against the Braves. Boston has been patching things together at the position since Triston Casas suffered a season-ending knee injury two weeks ago.

“Looking for options,” manager Alex Cora said about Campbell’s pregame work (link via Chris Cotillo of MassLive). “Obviously, we’re getting Romy (Gonzalez) probably by the end of the week or early next week. But just introducing (Campbell) to first base and seeing how it looks. … It can take 10 days, 15 days, a month, two months, but we started the process.”

Gonzalez, a utility infielder, got first crack at the position after the Casas injury. He was sidelined by a quad contusion a week later. As Cora noted, the Sox expect he’ll be back after a near minimal stint. Abraham Toro and Nick Sogard, each of whom were in Triple-A at the beginning of the month, are splitting first base until Gonzalez returns.

The Sox approached Rafael Devers about taking first base reps. He indicated he wasn’t willing to do so, publicly expressing frustration with chief baseball officer Craig Breslow after the Sox moved him off third base to designated hitter at the beginning of the season. Devers has not played a single defensive inning all year.

Campbell has no collegiate or professional experience as a first baseman. He has played mostly second but also has experience at both left side infield positions and all three outfield spots. Campbell has started 34 games at the keystone during his rookie season. He has added 50 outfield innings — 38 in center and 12 in left. While it’s not worth placing much stock in six weeks of defensive metrics, Campbell has not graded well at second. Statcast has him two runs below average, while Defensive Runs Saved has graded him six runs below par. That’s tied with Jake Cronenworth for second-worst at the position (above Washington’s Luis García Jr.).

It doesn’t seem the Sox are planning an imminent first base move for Campbell. They may be reluctant to kick a 22-year-old top prospect down the defensive spectrum as a short-term response to an injury. There’s little harm in seeing how Campbell takes to pregame work, though, and the Sox have another top middle infield prospect looming. Marcelo Mayer is hitting .274 with eight homers at Triple-A Worcester. He could eventually push the scuffling Trevor Story for playing time at shortstop. If Campbell were to move to first, one of Mayer or Story could slide to second base.

Red Sox Select Nick Burdi

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The Red Sox announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Nick Burdi. Fellow righty Cooper Criswell has been optioned as the corresponding active roster move. To open a 40-man spot, righty Kutter Crawford has been transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Burdi, 32, signed a minor league deal with the Sox in the offseason. He has since been putting up some good numbers for Triple-A Worcester. Through 16 2/3 innings, he has only allowed one earned run, leading to a 0.54 ERA. He has struck out 38.5% of opponents while only giving out walks 7.7% of the time.

Throughout his career, the question has been more about health than talent. A former second-round pick of the Twins, he has twice had Tommy John surgery, once in 2017 and the second time in 2020. He also had a thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in between those two, in 2018.

He understandably didn’t pitch much from 2016 to 2022 but has been able to log some innings more recently. In 2023, he only pitched three big league frames but also got to 21 innings on the farm, with a 3.86 ERA and 35% strikeout rate. He also walked 15% of opponents that year, perhaps understandably rusty after so much missed time.

Last year, he pitched 9 2/3 major league innings for the Yankees with a 1.86 ERA as well as 17 Triple-A innings with a 2.65 ERA. At both levels, he had high strikeout totals but also a lot of walks. He missed time with a hip injury and was outrighted off the roster late in the season, which allowed the Red Sox to sign him.

It’s a small sample but Burdi’s start this year still features the same strikeout stuff but seemingly with better control. He’s averaging 96 miles per hour on his fastball while also throwing a slider and changeup. The Sox will add him as a fresh arm, at least for a few days. They only have a four-man rotation right now with Walker Buehler expected to be reinstated from the IL in the coming days, perhaps on Tuesday. Burdi has options, so it’s possible he’ll be sent down when Buehler is ready, depending on how things go between now and then. If he manages to stay healthy and post some big numbers in the majors, he can be retained beyond this season via arbitration if still on the 40-man roster.

As for Crawford, this doesn’t change anything with him. The 60-day count is retroactive to his initial placement on the 15-day IL. He landed there to start the campaign due to right patellar tendinopathy. He will be eligible for reinstatement in late May, but that doesn’t seem likely anyhow. He has been throwing lately but hasn’t yet begun a rehab assignment. Even if cleared to start that assignment soon, he would surely need a few weeks to ramp up as a sort of delayed spring training.

Photo courtesy of Brad Penner, Imagn Images

Poll: American League Playoff Outlook

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We’re now a little over a quarter of the way through the 2025 regular season. With Memorial Day fast approaching, it’s hard for struggling teams to continue arguing that it’s still early. That isn’t to say playoff positions are set in stone, of course; on this day last year, the Mariners and Twins were firmly in playoff position while the eventual AL West champion Astros were in fourth place in the division and seven games under .500.

If the season ended today, the Tigers, Yankees, Mariners, Guardians, Royals, and Twins would be your playoff teams in the American League this year. With four-and-a-half months left in the baseball calendar, which team currently outside of that group has the best chance of breaking their way into the mix?

Here’s a look at a few of the options, listed in order of record entering play today:

Houston Astros (22-20)

Houston’s first season in a post-Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman world has been an uneven one. Jose Altuve does not look like the difference-maker he once was in his age-35 season. He’s hitting .256/.302/.369 (90 wRC+) and has effectively played at replacement level. His batted-ball profile suggests he may even be a bit fortunate to have the modest rate stats he currently possesses. Yordan Alvarez is injured, Yainer Diaz is well-below average at the plate, and neither Christian Walker nor Cam Smith is producing the way Houston hoped.

On the positive side, Isaac Paredes (141 wRC+) and Jeremy Pena (139 wRC+) have both been excellent at the plate. Hunter Brown is looking like an early Cy Young candidate, and the late-inning duo of Josh Hader and Bryan Abreu is one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball. If Alvarez can get healthy and the team can find some outfield help this summer, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Houston make its tenth consecutive postseason.

Texas Rangers (23-21)

Entering the season, the Rangers looked like they had an excellent offense that would be held down by questions about the pitching staff. The reality they’ve faced this year is the opposite: Marcus Semien, Adolis Garcia, Jake Burger, and Joc Pederson have all been somewhere between disappointing and terrible. Corey Seager has been injured, and Evan Carter started the year in the minors. Josh Jung, Josh Smith, and Wyatt Langford have been the only standout performers in the lineup so far this year.

That’s been offset by phenomenal performances in the rotation despite injuries to Jon Gray, Cody Bradford, and Kumar Rocker. Jacob deGrom is back and striking out a third of batters like it’s 2019, but he’s arguably the #3 starter in a rotation where Nathan Eovaldi and Tyler Mahle have sub-2.00 ERAs. Even emergency addition Patrick Corbin is turning back the clock with a 3.35 ERA across seven starts. If the Rangers’ vaunted offense can wake up a bit, it’s easy to imagine the 2023 World Series champs making a run.

The Athletics (22-21)

John Fisher’s aggressive offseason after abandoning Oakland for West Sacramento is paying off in the standings, though it’s mostly been due to young players breaking out. Jacob Wilson is looking like a unicorn in the mold of Luis Arraez. Tyler Soderstrom has emerged as a breakout slugger. Shea Langeliers is in the midst of a career year at the dish.

The pitching is cause for concern, but Gunnar Hoglund has looked good in his first taste of big league action, while both Luis Severino and Mason Miller have peripherals that suggest their results should improve with time. Three of last year’s most productive players — Lawrence Butler, JJ Bleday, and Brent Rooker — have taken steps backward, however. That will limit the club’s potential if they can’t get back on track.

Toronto Blue Jays (22-22)

With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. now in the fold for life, now all the Blue Jays have to do is win with him. The returns on that front are mixed. Veterans like George Springer, Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt are doing their best to make everyone forget about their age, but the performances of longer-term pieces like Anthony Santander, Bowden Francis and Jose Berrios are deeply concerning. Jeff Hoffman has been among baseball’s best closers so far and Bo Bichette is an above-average hitter again, but Alejandro Kirk has been pedestrian at the plate and Guerrero’s 131 wRC+, while terrific relative to the rest of the league, represents a major step back from last year’s 165. A healthy and effective return from future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer would go a long way to stabilizing the rotation, but players like Santander and Berrios will need to get going if playoff baseball is to return to Canada this year.

Boston Red Sox (22-23)

After pushing in by adding Garrett Crochet and Bregman this winter, the Red Sox entered the year looking like one of the AL’s best teams. While they haven’t exactly been bad, the season certainly hasn’t worked out that way so far. Crochet and Bregman are both as-advertised or better, and Wilyer Abreu is looking like a bona fide lefty slugger to pair with Rafael Devers.

Kristian Campbell has begun to cool off after a torrid start, however, and the rotation injuries have begun to pile up. It’s anyone’s guess who will be playing first base on any given day. Triston Casas is out for the year. Romy Gonzalez is on the injured list. Devers doesn’t sound keen on another position change. Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer are knocking on the door in the minors, and perhaps their eventual debuts will be the spark this team needs to get back into the playoff mix.

The Rest Of The Field

The five teams mentioned above are all within two games of a Wild Card spot, but the rest of the AL can’t be counted out. The Rays will benefit from the eventual returns of players like Ha-Seong Kim and Shane McClanahan, but they need more offense from key pieces like Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe, and Junior Caminero. The Orioles should have the lineup to compete, but they have some key bats struggling and will need to figure out their disastrous pitching staff to get back into the race. The Angels have faded after a hot start, but players like Luis Rengifo and Taylor Ward should start hitting eventually. The White Sox still have an abysmal offense, but the rotation has been surprisingly solid with Rule 5 pick Shane Smith in particular looking like a steal.

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Which of the teams outside of the AL playoff picture entering play today do MLBTR readers think stands the best chance of making it into the postseason? Have your say in the poll below:

MLBTR Podcast: Devers Drama, Managerial Firings, And Jordan Lawlar

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Plus, we answer your questions, including…

  • Should the Orioles try to extend Cedric Mullins or Tomoyuki Sugano (35:05)
  • How real are the Twins and the Tigers? (39:00)
  • What should the Cardinals do in right field if Jordan Walker doesn’t get going? (44:50)
  • Why do the Mets seemingly do better with external pitching additions than their homegrown arms? (49:25)

Check out our past episodes!

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Photo courtesy of Ken Blaze, Imagn Images

Red Sox Place Tanner Houck On Injured List With Flexor Pronator Strain

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The Red Sox have placed right-handed starting pitcher Tanner Houck on the 15-day injured list with a flexor pronator strain in his pitching arm. In a corresponding move, the team recalled fellow right-hander Cooper Criswell from Triple-A.

Following a strong 2024 season, Houck has not pitched well in 2025. Through nine starts, he is 0-3 with an 8.04 ERA. He has struck out just 32 batters in 43 2/3 innings, while walking 17 and hitting five. On two separate occasions, including his most recent outing on Monday, he has given up 11 earned runs in a start and failed to escape the third inning. If those two games were scratched from the register, his ERA would drop to 3.92, and his strikeout and walk rates would look much closer to what they were last season. But of course, there’s no pretending those blow-ups didn’t happen. Now, at least, Houck and the Red Sox might have an explanation for his struggles.

After Monday’s game, Red Sox manager Alex Cora told Chris Cotillo of MassLive that he was still trying to figure out why Houck had been so ineffective. “I’ve got to take a look at the video and we’ve got to see what we’re gonna do,” he explained. “Right now, it’s too fresh. It’s too quick. We have to take a look at it and see if it’s mechanical, usage, or where we’re at.” At that point in time, the skipper didn’t suggest the problem could be injury-related. Indeed, Cotillo notes that as recently as this afternoon, Cora continued to insist that Houck would start again this weekend. Now, Houck will not be able to return for at least two weeks. It’s unclear how long he’ll be out.

The Red Sox have not confirmed whether Criswell will make a start in Houck’s place. Criswell was more than serviceable as a starter last season, pitching to a 3.49 ERA and 4.21 FIP in 18 starts. While he failed to earn a rotation spot out of spring training, he has started his last four games at Triple-A to great success. In 20 2/3 innings, he has a 1.74 ERA with 27 strikeouts. Still, it’s possible he was called up to be an extra arm out of the bullpen instead. The Red Sox might prefer to move Sean Newcomb back from the bullpen into the rotation. After all, Newcomb beat out Criswell for a rotation spot on the Opening Day roster. Newcomb was also the reliever who came out of the bullpen and gave the team 5 2/3 strong innings on Monday after Houck’s early exit. In other words, he’s stretched out enough to start, and he’s on schedule to seamlessly take over for Houck.

There is also a chance the Red Sox won’t need either of Criswell or Newcomb to step up. They could skip Houck’s turn in the rotation and give the ball to Brayan Bello on Sunday, a course of action made possible by an off day on Thursday. Then, Walker Buehler, who is expected to be activated from the IL early next week (per Cotillo), could potentially make the start on Monday, giving Boston a rotation of Bello, Buehler, Garrett Crochet, Lucas Giolito, and Hunter Dobbins. This is only an option, however, if Buehler is ready to go by Monday. While the Red Sox are planning for him to rejoin the team at some point during their series with the Mets, it’s not yet clear if Monday is a realistic date for his return.

Latest On Red Sox’ Rotation

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Right-hander Tanner Houck was lit up by the Tigers last night, the latest chapter in a very frustrating season. In the aftermath of the game, manager Álex Cora wouldn’t commit to Houck getting another start. “We’ll talk about it, of course,” Cora said, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive. “I’ve got to take a look at the video and we’ve got to see what we’re gonna do. Right now, it’s too fresh. It’s too quick. We have to take a look at it and see if it’s mechanical, usage, or where we’re at.”

Houck only lasted 2 1/3 innings last night, but he allowed 11 earned runs in that time on three walks and nine hits, including two home runs. He did not record a strikeout. Shockingly, that was his second time this year allowing 11 earned runs in a start, the first coming against the Rays on April 14th.

For the whole season, he now has an 8.04 earned run average in 43 2/3 innings. It’s a sea change relative to last season. After years of oscillating between the rotation and the bullpen, he seemingly established himself as a bonafide starter in 2024. He took the ball 30 times for the Sox and logged 178 2/3 innings with a 3.12 ERA. His 20.7% strikeout rate was a tad below average but he had a solid 6.5% walk rate and strong 55.9% ground ball rate.

Everything has gone in the wrong direction so far this year. His walk rate has climbed marginally to 8.4% but his strikeouts are down to a 15.8% clip while he’s only getting grounders 48.3% of the time.

It’s a bit of a mystery as Houck says he can’t find anything physically wrong, which is backed up by the data. His velocity is actually higher than last year. For whatever reason, his splitter is way less effective, which seems to be a big part of the problem. Opponents hit .194 against it last year with a .264 slugging percentage, but those numbers are up to .425 and .475 this year. His sweeper has also declined in impact, though to a lesser degree. That pitch allowed a .230 average and .357 slug last year but .305 and .492 this year.

As Cora laid out, it’s a puzzle they will have to solve, though they may not let Houck work it out in the rotation. Currently, the club is also giving starts to Garrett Crochet, Lucas Giolito, Brayan Bello and Hunter Dobbins. Giolito is the only one in that group with an ERA above 2.78, and he’s only made three starts since coming off the IL.

The Sox also have reinforcements on the way. Walker Buehler, Richard Fitts and Kutter Crawford are each on the IL and making progress towards returning to the club. Buehler landed on the IL earlier this month due to shoulder bursitis but is expected back next week without a rehab assignment. Fitts and Crawford are a bit further away but both have been throwing lately and appear to be nearing rehab assignments. Fitts landed on the IL a month ago due to a right pectoral strain. Crawford has been on the IL all year due to patellar tendinopathy in his right knee.

As those guys return, it will be harder for Houck to continue holding a spot unless he can turn things around. That’s if the Sox even give him another start, which doesn’t seem to be guaranteed. In addition to those injury returnees, there’s also Sean Newcomb, who did a huge solid for the Sox last night. After Houck exited, he absorbed 5 2/3 innings with two earned runs allowed. He now has a 3.51 ERA on the year, working both as a starter and reliever. Cooper Criswell and Josh Winckowski are on the 40-man and putting up good numbers in Triple-A.

Given how good Houck was last year, the Sox might be tempted into giving him a chance to work it out. However, they are currently in the midst of a super tight playoff race and can only afford so much patience. Houck has had previous success as a reliever, so perhaps they could kick him back there. But on the other hand, he has clear upside as a mid-rotation starter, so perhaps they don’t want to give up on that. He does still have options and could be sent down to Triple-A to try to right the ship there. One way or another, decisions will need to be made soon.

Photo courtesy of Ken Blaze, Imagn Images

Red Sox Place Romy Gonzalez On 10-Day Injured List

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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.

Rafael Devers Meets With Red Sox Owner John Henry

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As the Red Sox began a series with the Royals yesterday, Sox owner John Henry, team CEO Sam Kennedy, and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow all flew to Kansas City in response to Rafael Devers’ comments on Thursday about his refusal to play first base, and his displeasure with what the slugger felt was an unreasonable series of requests from upper management.  Henry and manager Alex Cora (with Kennedy and Breslow not present) met with Devers privately prior to Friday’s game for a lengthy meeting that, in theory, helped clear the air about what has become a public controversy.

None of Devers, Henry, or Cora commented about the meeting, but Breslow told reporters (including The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey) that Henry said an “honest and candid exchange” took place about the situation.  The intent, as per Breslow, was to have “an honest conversation about what we value as an organization and what we believe is important to the Boston Red Sox and that is being great teammates for each other.  And so we think we had a productive conversation.  John seems to have had a productive conversation.  And that’s where things stand right now.”

In a follow-up about what Breslow considered a great teammate, he answered “I think it’s No. 1, being honest and open with communication.  I think it is recognizing when there’s an opportunity to step up, when there’s a need for the group to be in front of any individual achievement or accomplishment.  And I think it’s important that that gets reinforced given what we’re hoping to accomplish.”

Devers said Thursday that he took issue with Breslow recently asking about a position change to first base, and the two parties haven’t yet spoken since Devers went public with his frustrations.  Though Breslow said his conversation with Devers was more “exploratory” in nature about a possible move to first base, the CBO took some responsibility for the awkward situation.

“My reaction was there potentially was some misunderstanding on the communication or an opportunity to more clearly provide communication,” Breslow said.  “And so hopefully that was a step in the right direction here today….Obviously, it’s unfortunate that we’re in the situation that we are right now.  But as you approach every decision, you try to provide as much clear communication as possible. It’s my job to always put the priorities of the organization first.  But I should also be evaluating every interaction I have with players and I’ll continue to do that.”

More will be known if or when Devers himself comments on the meeting, and it isn’t likely that Henry (who rarely speaks with the media) will issue a comment.  As McCaffrey noted, however, the fact that Henry felt the need to personally travel to Kansas City and meet with Devers directly was a very public statement in its own right, and underscored the “unusual” nature of what has become a major subplot of Boston’s season.

After spending his first eight seasons as the Red Sox third baseman, Devers has become a full-time DH this season in order to accommodate Alex Bregman (a much better defensive player) at the hot corner.  Devers has long expressed his preference to remain at third base and even continued this stance after Bregman was signed, though he eventually stated that he was “good to do whatever they want me to do.”  After a slow start at the plate, Devers has been crushing the ball over the last couple of weeks, seemingly settling in nicely to his new designated hitter role.

Triston Casas began the season as the everyday first baseman, but since Casas’ 2025 campaign has now likely been ended by a knee surgery, Romy Gonzalez and Abraham Toro have been handling the position.  Moving Devers to first base seemed like a possible answer to the first base problem, as opening up the DH spot would’ve also allowed the Red Sox to find a spot for Masataka Yoshida (currently on the injured list) or for top prospects Roman Anthony or Marcelo Mayer.  After being asked to change positions once, however, Devers has balked at learning a new position on the fly, and was quite openly frustrated over now being asked to become a first baseman after being told that he would only be a DH in 2025.

It remains to be seen what next steps might be taken, or whether or not Friday’s meeting might have laid some groundwork for Devers to eventually move to first base after all.  Given how Breslow mentioned the concept of teammate behavior, it is worth noting that the other Red Sox players seem to be staying quiet about the situation for now.

“We will talk about it.  Obviously, things are fresh and a little emotional right now, but yeah, we will do it,” Trevor Story told MLB.com’s Jackson Stone.  “And like I said, we’re all adults and we’ll figure this thing out eventually.  One way or another, it’s about winning games and I think everyone can agree on that.”

Rafael Devers Unwilling To Play First Base

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Red Sox designated hitter Rafael Devers spoke to members of the media today, including Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. Devers said that chief baseball officer Craig Breslow recently asked him about playing first base in the wake of the Triston Casas injury. Devers said that he is unwilling to take up the position, adding that the club told him to put away his glove when they moved him from third base to designated hitter this winter. He feels that the team has now gone back on its word. He also responded “Sí, claro” when asked if he was upset by the request.

“I know I’m a ballplayer,” Devers said, via translator, relayed by Speier, “but at the same time, they can’t expect me to play every single position out there. In break 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 added this about Breslow,  per Speier, “I’m not certain what (issue) he has with me. He played ball, and I would like to think that he knows that changing positions like that isn’t easy.” Speier relayed more from Devers: “Here in the clubhouse, thankfully, the relationship that I have with my teammates is great. I don’t understand some of the decisions that the GM makes. Next thing you know, someone in the outfield gets hurt and they want me to play in the outfield.” As for the first base spot, Devers seems to think an external addition is the answer, per Christopher Smith of MassLive: “Now I think they should do their job essentially and hit the market and look for another player (to play first base). I’m not sure why they want me to be in between the way they have me now.”

Perhaps he will alter that stance in time but he seems to be taking a strong stand for now. Per Smith, Devers doesn’t think there’s a chance he’ll change his mind. “I don’t think so. They told me I’m a little hard-headed. They already asked me to change once and this time I don’t think I can be as flexible.”

It’s been a strange few months in terms of the relationship between Devers and the Red Sox. Throughout the winter, the club was connected to third basemen Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado, despite Devers seemingly having that spot locked down. Devers has never been a strong defender, so there was some on-paper logic to the consideration of moving him elsewhere, but there was the question about Devers himself and how he would feel about being displaced. The two sides had agreed to a nine-figure extension in January of 2023, a contract which runs through 2033, so the long-term relationship would obviously be a real consideration.

Breman remained unsigned into the middle of February. The Sox scooped him up at that time on a three-year, $120MM deal, though one with notable deferrals and opt-outs after each season. The club didn’t immediately come out and declare their intentions in terms of defensive alignment and Devers was adamant that he would stick at third base. He said that he had been promised by the club that he could stay at the hot corner for the long term. Manager Álex Cora dismissed that promise because “That was under Chaim,” referring to former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. The Sox fired Bloom towards the end of the 2023 season and eventually replaced him with Breslow.

It soon became clear that the Sox wanted Bregman, the superior defender, to take over at third. Devers would be the club’s full-time designated hitter, not even playing the field occasionally. “Raffy is going to DH,” Cora said in March. “We had a conversation, we talked about it. He’s DHing. He’s the DH of the Boston Red Sox. One thing is we don’t want him to overthink it. Don’t get caught up in the whole thing. He’ll be OK.”

Though Devers was clearly not happy with being moved off his position, reportedly even thinking about asking for a trade at one point, he did strike a more amicable tone eventually. In the middle of March, with the start of the season just about two weeks away, he said: “I’m good to do whatever they want me to do,” he said. “I’m here to help. I’ve already spoken with them about that, and they know where I stand. I’m just ready to play.”

That all seemed to be working fine enough for the first few weeks of the season, until Casas suffered his aforementioned injury. A ruptured left patellar tendon last week led to knee surgery for Casas and he is going to miss the remainder of the 2025 campaign.

That quickly led to speculation about Devers being a good fit to replace Casas. In the initial aftermath of the injury, the Sox used guys like Romy González and Abraham Toro to cover the position. Those two have generally been light-hitting utility guys in their careers, less than ideal solutions for a bat-first position like first base.

Moving Devers into the spot would seemingly make things easier for the Sox. While learning a new position midseason would certainly be a challenge, first base is generally considered to be lower than third base on the defensive spectrum, with many subpar third basemen having become adequate first basemen over the years. Doing so would also free up the DH spot, opening up more at-bats for players other players. Outfield prospect Roman Anthony and infield prospect Marcelo Mayer are both somewhat blocked from regular playing time at the moment. It’s also tough to find a spot for Masataka Yoshida, currently on the injured list, as he’s also an outfielder. A poor defender, he was the club’s primary designated hitter last year.

Cora has publicly said a few times recently that he hasn’t asked Devers about the switch, but it appears the Red Sox privately considered the plan and Breslow initiated the conversation, which Devers didn’t take kindly to.

From his perspective, it’s understandably been a jarring half year. As of a few months ago, he thought he was Boston’s third baseman and seemingly felt secure in that role. Now he’s been shaken from that security and has been asked to adapt.

Still, his response has been bizarre and hasn’t always reflected well on him. It’s pretty rare for a player to refuse to do something his team asks of him. In fact, there have been dozens of players over the years who have switched positions in order to help their team. Learning first base might not be Devers’ ideal outcome but there’s little harm in exploring the possibility by taking some grounders and feeling it out, especially if the team thinks it can help them win some more games in the long run. Though Devers maintains the clubhouse rapport is good, it’s fair to wonder if any of his teammates are upset about this hardline stance, since it’s doesn’t appear to be a team-first decision.

Additionally, when discontent develops between a team and a player, efforts are usually made to keep it private. It’s especially uncommon for a player to criticize his team’s front office leader, especially for making a fairly understandable inquiry.

It’s inevitable more developments are forthcoming with this story. For now, it appears Devers will stay in the DH spot. If the Sox are unhappy with his refusal, there’s not too much they can do about it. Whatever drama has been happening off the field doesn’t seem to be impacting him at the plate. He has a .246/.370/.430 batting line and 123 wRC+ this year, even though he went hitless in his first five games of the season. They surely don’t want to subtract that bat from the lineup.

For the record, Devers does not have no-trade protection in his contract, so they technically could just run him out of town if they really wanted to. But there’s no indication that is a consideration or even a remote possibility. Even if they did come to a point of wanting him gone, shipping out a contract that still runs for eight-plus years and has far more than $200MM left on it is hard to move at any point. That would be especially true in the middle of a season, when clubs have mostly spent their budgets. Also, other clubs are surely aware of the public drama and would try to use it as leverage in any talks if Breslow called them up.

Unless more developments arise, it seems Devers will stick in the DH spot. The Sox will try to cover first base with guys like González and Toro, at least for now, though it’s possible they could pursue first basemen in the coming weeks and months.

As for the relationship between Devers and the Sox, this surely isn’t the last we’ll hear about it. As mentioned, Bregman can opt out of his contract after this season and seems to be trending towards doing so, since he’s having a great year. There may eventually be questions about whether Devers would be an option to retake that spot in 2026 or if the club would want to keep him as a DH for the rest of his contract, while someone like Mayer or Trevor Story or Kristian Campbell takes over at third. That means more twists and turns are fairly inevitable, in a saga that has already had plenty.

Photo courtesy of Ken Blaze, Imagn Images.

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