Rafael Devers Takes Stunning Stance, Again Defying Red Sox Wishes

Here we go again. In spring training, the Rafael Devers debacle saw him refusing the Boston Red Sox's wishes to move off of third base to make room for new free agent signee Alex Bregman. It all simmered down, and Devers eventually agreed to DH.

But now the BoSox—and Devers—are at it again. With the devastating injury to first baseman Triston Casas, Boston is now asking Devers to move to first base. And once again, he is flatly refusing.

BREAKING: Rafael Devers says that he’s NOT willing to play 1B for the Red Sox. Says that if they need a first baseman, they should look in the market. He was told to keep his glove away and he plans to keep it that way.

Via: @alexspeier pic.twitter.com/YpCLvo4chc
— Boston Strong (@BostonStrong_34) May 8, 2025

Why, exactly, is Devers not keen on picking up a first baseman's mitt now? He explains:

Rafael Devers explains why he is not willing to play first base in Boston

via @SmittyOnMLB pic.twitter.com/n2COGyEfTh
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 8, 2025

“I know I’m a ballplayer, but at the same time, they can’t expect me to play every single position out there,” Devers said. “In spring 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 said he was approached by chief baseball officer Craig Breslow following Casas’ injury and asked to move to first base.

Devers on Craig Breslow:

“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.”

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— Gordo (@BOSSportsGordo) May 8, 2025

“I’m not certain what he has with me,” Devers said of Breslow. “He played ball (Breslow pitched in the majors for 12 seasons), and I would like to think that he knows that changing positions like that isn’t easy."

In fact, Devers says that Red Sox management "should do their jobs... and hit the market and look for another player (for first base)."

Wow.

Devers has hit .279 with an .898 OPS over the past month after a rough start to the season, apparently in his adjustment to the DH role. It doesn't sound like he has any intentions of going through another adjustment period, in-season.

“I don’t feel that they stayed true to their word," continued Devers. "They told me that I was going to be playing this position, DH, and now they’re going back on that. So I just don’t think they stayed true to their word.”

The Red Sox are currently 20-19, two games out of top spot in the AL East.