FORT MYERS, Fla. — Boston Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers, who was expected to make his spring training debut Tuesday, has pushed it back after telling manager Alex Cora that he did not feel ready while taking live batting practice.
Cora did not say when the three-time All-Star will play, but the manager suggested it might not be until this weekend.
Devers hit .272 with 28 homers and 83 RBIs last season, despite complaining of soreness in both of his shoulders. He had spent the first couple of weeks of spring training trying to strengthen them for the rigors of a 162-game regular season.
Exactly where Devers will play once he returns remains another question.
The Red Sox signed two-time All-Star Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract this offseason, giving them a Gold Glove winner at third base, where Devers has posted poor fielding metrics over the years. Devers has led or been tied for the American League lead in errors three times in the past seven seasons.
Devers has balked at moving to DH, though, saying last month: “Third base is my position.”
It’s possible that Devers could remain at third base while Bregman moves to second, where he has played in just nine games over eight big league seasons.
“The decisions that are going to be made here about roster construction and about what we’re going to do in the future, we’re going to make sure we have the best team possible out there,” Cora said. “[Devers] has a lot of pride. We know that. He feels like he’s a third baseman. He’s going to work out as a third baseman and then we’ll make decisions accordingly.
“I think here it’s not about Bregman or Devers or Cora. It’s about the Red Sox.”
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