Red Sox Explain Rafael Devers’ Delayed Spring Training Debut

The Boston Red Sox are going to have to wait a while until slugger Rafael Devers joins the team for spring training exhibition.

Devers hasn’t taken the field for preseason action and was initially expected to debut in Fort Myers, Fla., with the team for Wednesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays. However, Devers spoke with Red Sox manager Alex Cora and pushed back his first spring training appearance, again. Cora confirmed Devers will play, although a confirmed date wasn’t offered, and revealed the reason Devers is a no-go for Wednesday.

“Raffy is not starting tomorrow. He asked me for more live BPs, so we’ll be good with that,” Cora said Tuesday, per MLB.com’s Ian Browne. “We’ll see where we are over the weekend, but timing-wise, he’s off. I’m not worried about him.”

The 28-year-old arrived to spring training with an emphasis on regaining strength in his shoulders, which proved to be an issue last season. Devers dealt with shoulder soreness but still managed to slash .272/.354/.516 with 28 home runs and 83 RBIs across 138 games, earning his third All-Star appearance. Devers also finished 13th in the American League MVP race and isn’t risking any potential setbacks as the team enters a clean slate with a new-look roster built to contend for the first time since 2021.

Uncertainty, for the first time in the last seven years, followed Devers to spring training as the starting third baseman has competition this go-around remains in play. The Red Sox signed two-time All-Star Alex Bregman, who took home a Gold Glove at third base last season and has gotten plenty of reps at the hot corner this spring. Nothing’s finalized yet on whether Bregman or Devers will be Boston’s starting third baseman for Opening Day as Cora prioritizes putting the best lineup version possible on the field.

That could make Devers the team’s designated hitter on March 27, depending on what direction Cora feels the Red Sox should take.

Boston legend David Ortiz expressed his understanding of Devers’ perspective and offered the veteran a piece of advice before getting the season started.

“At some point, it’s all about putting the ego aside,” Ortiz told WEEI’s Rob Bradford on Audacy’s “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast.

Ortiz continued: “I’m in his corner at all times, but I want him to understand that this organization is trying to build up good players around him, so he doesn’t have to take the pressure all times.”

The Red Sox, fresh off their 12-4 victory over the Pirates, will host the Rays at JetBlue Park on Wednesday afternoon. It’s still possible that Devers gets his wish and sticks around as the starting third baseman as Boston, so far, doesn’t have a clear-cut starting second baseman, and Bregman does have nine games of experience at that part of the infield.

Regardless, Cora will have a few tough decisions to make in the upcoming weeks.