JUPITER, Fla. — A day after Rafael Devers said he’s willing to serve as the team’s designated hitter, Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora was not ready to announce where Devers will play this season.
In his first comments on the matter, Cora acknowledged a conversation he had with Devers and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow a few weeks ago but declined to detail the specifics. “Time will help us,” Cora said, referring to Devers’ frustrations with the team.
“People might say that we didn’t handle this the right way,” Cora said before the team’s game against the Marlins in Jupiter. “People are saying that he was selfish. People have their opinions. We just got to keep going. He was loud and clear. He expects a better season. And he expects this team to be fighting for the World Series. So that’s perfect.”
Last month, after the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman, a Gold Glove-winning third baseman, Devers remained adamant he wanted to remain at third base and not move to DH. On Thursday, he softened his stance, saying he’ll play where the team needs him.
“The conversations we’re going to keep private,” Cora said of his talk with Devers and Breslow. “I was happy that he was smiling (when he spoke with the media). I think he was very honest with you guys as far as how he felt. He actually said he was sad because of what people thought about him. Like I said, time will help us, conversations will help us. And he’s in a good spot. He’s ready to play.”
Devers is set to appear in his first spring training game on Saturday and will serve as DH. He has been taking infield practice throughout the spring but is not yet ready to appear in a game at third base.
Devers spent the offseason rehabbing his shoulders. He injured one at the start of last season on a swing and the other just after the All-Star break on a diving play at third. He only began swinging a bat at the start of camp in late February and has been behind in building up his reps.
With less than two weeks until the season begins, Cora said Devers will be ready for Opening Day but has not yet committed to where he’ll play or if he’ll even play at third before the end of spring training.
Asked if he had a timetable for announcing a decision, Cora said: “We have a pretty good idea, but let’s just let him play, see where we are at, see how the other part of the roster goes.”
“We’ll make decisions when we make decisions,” Cora added. “I want to see him on the field (Saturday), so he’ll DH (Saturday). And then we’ll go from there. The buildup, how we are going to do it — I’m just happy that he took that out of his chest, right? And it seems like he was very genuine about it. And like I said, seeing him smile for the first time in a while it was good. It was good.”
When Devers addressed the media Thursday, it was the first time he’d done so in a group setting in a few weeks. Asked about his position, he was more diplomatic than he had been right after the Bregman signing.
“They know where I stand,” Devers said.
He later added: “At the end of the day, whatever position I’m playing, I always take these things as a competition and as a way to get better. That’s how I see it, I’m ready to help the team win.”
Bregman has only played third base this spring, but Cora said he may get reps at second “at some point.” When asked if making Devers a full-time DH would help keep the slugger’s shoulders healthy, Cora didn’t answer the question directly but noted the importance of keeping Devers in the lineup.
“Keeping him on the field is very important,” Cora said. “Last year, we weren’t able to do that. Even in 2021 with the elbow. If you look at the games played, we would love this guy to play more than 150, how are we going to accomplish that? We’ll see.”
Wilyer Abreu cleared to play
Wilyer Abreu, who won a Gold Glove last season, could now be available for Opening Day. (Photo: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
Outfielder Wilyer Abreu, who has been sidelined the entire spring while dealing with the aftereffects of a virus, will appear in his first spring training game Saturday, batting second and playing right field.
Abreu, who won a Gold Glove in right last year, has been working out with the team, but had not been cleared by the medical staff to play in games with the infection still lingering in results from his lab work.
Abreu was set to play in a minor-league game on Friday in Fort Myers, Fla., before his first big-league game on Saturday.
Cora was preparing to enter the regular season without Abreu. He now feels there might be enough time for Abreu to be ready.
“I was a little bit worried that the numbers (in lab work) weren’t going to get there sooner rather than later, but this is great news and now we just go,” Cora said.
“Physically, everybody feels like he’s in a good spot,” Cora said. “Now it’s just the at-bats. He can catch up. We know that.”
Kutter Crawford set to resume bullpens; Lucas Giolito, Brayan Bello throwing
Right-handed starter Kutter Crawford is scheduled to throw bullpens Tuesday and Friday next week.
Crawford injured his knee last season and pitched through the injury. He rehabbed over the winter to get the knee in a good place but re-injured it in December. Since the start of camp, Crawford has thrown a few bullpens, but at low intensity to avoid aggravating the knee.
After resting and continuing to receive treatment, Crawford will be back on the mound next week, but is expected to miss the start of the season. At this point, given the buildup needed to get into games, he’ll likely miss at least all of April, even with no further setbacks.
“Now that he’s on the mound, he’s feeling better,” Cora said. “So we’ll see what happens.”
Right-hander Brayan Bello will also start the year on the injured list with shoulder inflammation, but is set for a bullpen on Saturday. He has not yet pitched in a game.
Lucas Giolito, also set to start the season on the IL, is scheduled to throw between 90 and 120 feet and then be re-evaluated for a bullpen next week.
Giolito said Thursday that the left hamstring he strained in his first start earlier this week felt fine and, if up to him, he’d resume his normal throwing program. Given that Giolito missed all of last season after undergoing an internal brace procedure, the Red Sox are opting not to rush him.
“If that’s the case and he’s not ready, we truly believe that the way he reacted to it, he should be with us sooner rather than later,” Cora said. “Bello should be with us sooner or later. It’s one of those that we just have to be patient.”
At the moment, the Red Sox have three healthy starters in Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler and Tanner Houck. Richard Fitts, Quinn Priester and Cooper Criswell are among the candidates to fill the other two rotation spots early in the season, while Michael Fulmer and Sean Newcomb are also in the mix.
Other notes
Catcher Connor Wong has been out with an illness but is feeling better and expected to return to the team on Saturday. He’ll likely need a few days back before playing in a game.
Masataka Yoshida, recovering from shoulder surgery, has been getting reps at DH in games this spring but is still building out his throwing program. He’s up to 90 feet. Cora has said it’s important for Yoshida to be able to play the outfield, but he doesn’t think Yoshida will be ready for an outfield game by the end of camp. It remains possible that he starts the year on the IL as he builds up his throwing program.
(Top photo: Luke Hales / Getty Images)
