The Boston Red Sox are reportedly considering shifting All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers to first base in 2025. Despite being the team’s highest-paid player, currently in the third year of a 10-year, $313.5 million contract, Devers has often been viewed as a defensive liability at third base.
“Anyone else with his history of defensive mediocrity would’ve been benched or moved by now,” wrote John Tomase, a veteran sports columnist for NBC Sports Boston.
There may also be another reason for the potential move. The Red Sox are rumored to be pursuing free agent Willy Adames, a former Milwaukee Brewers shortstop, who has expressed a willingness to transition to third base.
However, moving Devers to first could impact current first baseman Triston Casas, who may find himself as a trade candidate. Despite his potential as a power hitter, Casas has struggled with injuries, appearing in only 195 games over the last two seasons. His limited availability, including just 63 games in 2024, raises concerns about his durability. Some analysts suggest that his trade value is at its peak and could diminish significantly with another injury in 2025.
One possibility being floated is a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates, as reported by Baron Dionis of Fansided. He predicts that Casas, a Florida native turning 25 in January, could be sent to Pittsburgh in exchange for 25-year-old right-hander Luis Ortiz.
Ortiz, who debuted in 2022, has shown growth over two full seasons with the Pirates. In 2024, he pitched in 37 games, starting 15, and posted a solid 3.32 ERA and a 1.113 WHIP. Ortiz could serve as both a reliever for Boston’s shaky bullpen and a spot starter.
For the Pirates, the motivation lies in quickly building a competitive roster around pitching phenom Paul Skenes. The 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick won NL Rookie of the Year in 2024 and finished third in Cy Young voting. Despite his success, the Pirates finished last in the NL Central with a 76-86 record.
Pirates GM Ben Cherington, who has ties to the Red Sox organization, could be a natural trading partner for Red Sox head of baseball operations Craig Breslow. Cherington, a former Red Sox GM, built the 2013 World Series-winning team, and the two executives recently worked together on a July 2024 trade that swapped former first-round draft picks Nick Yorke and Quinn Priester.
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