Why now is not the time for red-hot Rafael Devers to be learning a new position
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It's not Devers that needs to sacrifice and get uncomfortable for the betterment of the team. It's Breslow. This is a problem of his creation. Breslow must sacrifice his carefully-crafted ideal development blueprint for the Sox' prospect Holy Trinity to aid the guys in the major league jerseys on Jersey Street.
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This movement, albeit tardy, is taking place. Rookie Kristian Campbell,
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Treated like asking to paint the Green Monster fluorescent orange, the idea of experimenting with top prospect Roman Anthony at first base in Triple A Worcester should be embraced as well. The 21-year-old Anthony is the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball. His bat looks major league ready now — his OPS for the WooSox is a gaudy .949.
Like most 21-year-old prospects he's itching to get to the majors. He's blocked for now in the Sox outfield by superior defenders in left field (Jarren Duran), center field (Ceddanne Rafaela), and right fielder Wilyer Abreu. Anthony's bat could be generational, so, why not add first base to his menu down on the farm, away from the prying eyes and pressure of Fenway?
If bouncing between first base and the outfield is good enough for Cody Bellinger, a former National League Rookie of the Year and MVP, then why isn't it good enough to explore with Anthony? The risk is worth the reward. If he can't adjust to the position then you shelve it in Triple A. No harm.
But if he can, then the Sox could field a lineup with Devers, Duran, Rafaela, Abreu, and Anthony, at least until the outfield surplus works itself out.
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MLB's top prospect is playing like it 🌟
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline)
Sorry, but a legit playoff team isn't fielding Band-Aid backups — hello, Romy Gonzalez, Abraham Toro, and Nick Sogard — as everyday first basemen. Barring an outside acquisition of a bona fide big league first baseman, the best options are Campbell and Anthony. If it's Campbell, then the Sox get the added bonus of making space for fellow Big Three prospect member Marcelo Mayer to play second. A shortstop by trade, he received reps at second in spring training and Triple A.
These prospects aren't Fabergé eggs. Campbell, Anthony, and Mayer are not so delicate that if asked to experiment they'll be irretrievably broken. Breslow and baseball ops need to drop the overprotective helicopter parent mien.
It sends the tacit message that the Big Three's development, the fabled future, is valued greater than the success of the big league club, an all too familiar feeling for the Fenway Faithful this decade.
Raffy's
Yours truly
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The only DH who can claim more production than Devers, who entered Monday batting .402 with a 1.239 OPS in his last 21 contests, is a guy named Shohei Ohtani. During this 21-game tear, Devers has collected seven home runs, 24 RBI, and reached base 47 times. According to the great @Soxnotes X (formerly Twitter) account, the only other Red Sox players to do that this century are Manny Ramírez and David Ortiz.
Rafael Devers' last 21 games:
7 HR, 24 RBI, 47 times on base
Only other player to reach those totals over any 21-game span in 2025:
Aaron Judge
Only other Red Sox to do that this century:
Manny Ramírez and David Ortiz
— J.P. Long (@SoxNotes)
Breslow and manager Alex Cora can take a bow for moving Devers to DH. Don't mess that up in an ad hoc attempt to cover up for a front office miscalculation at first.
The Sox and Breslow dropped the ball. The reality is that even if Casas didn't get hurt the Sox could have found themselves needing an alternative at first. Breslow put all his eggs in the Casas 40-120 potential basket. But the eccentric infielder batted just .182.
The Sox are better off with Devers raking at DH than shifting him to first base, risking upsetting him and his performance.
Who's on first remains the question for the Red Sox. But there's no question that it should be someone other than Devers.
Christopher L. Gasper is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at
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