Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers is very unlikely to play third base before the end of spring training, according to manager Alex Cora. Devers dealt with injuries to both of his shoulders last year and didn't resume swinging until the start of spring training, which resulted in him not making his Grapefruit League debut until just last weekend. Additionally, the BoSox signed third baseman Alex Bregman in the offseason, which makes Devers' move to more of a full-time role as the designated hitter more probable, even if Boston has yet to announce it. Not only is Bregman the better defender at the hot corner, but using Bregman at third and Devers at DH will open up a spot for prospect Kristian Campbell at second base. Devers is still a starting third baseman in all fantasy leagues, but it's possible that he could lose 3B eligibility going into 2026.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulder) and outfielder Wilyer Abreu (illness) are in the starting lineup on Saturday. Devers will be the DH and bat in the two-hole while Abreu will cover right field and bat eighth. Devers has been dealing with a shoulder injury throughout most of camp. There have been reports that he could begin the season exclusively as a designated hitter. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status but seeing him return to the starting lineup is a positive sign. Abreu battled an illness throughout camp and even lost some weight as a result. The team may opt to increase his workload slowly during the remainder of camp to ensure he is ready for Opening Day. During the regular season, Devers will likely see time at the hot corner and at DH while Abreu will see most of his starts in right field.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulder) said he will be fine if the team wants him to serve as the designated hitter on Opening Day. "I don't make those decisions," Devers said after talking to chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and manager Alex Cora a few weeks ago. The 28-year-old has changed his tune after saying on Feb. 17 that "third base is my position. I play third." Devers is finally scheduled to make his Grapefruit League debut this Saturday after working on his swing during spring training following issues with both of his shoulders last year. Meanwhile, new addition Alex Bregman is a Gold Glove third baseman and has been at the hot corner all spring. Devers could see time at third at some point in 2025, but all signs are pointing to him opening the year as the full-time DH with Masataka Yoshida (shoulder) starting on the injured list.

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulders) will take part in a simulated game in camp on Thursday with right-hander Walker Buehler pitching. Devers' Grapefruit League debut has already been pushed back several times -- he's now expected to play on Saturday against the Atlanta Braves -- but he's been taking part in live batting practice sessions and will take swings against Buehler on Thursday. The 28-year-old dealt with issues in both of his shoulders last year, which is why he didn't resume swinging until the start of spring training. The Red Sox still expect Devers to be ready by Opening Day, but his lengthy delay from playing in spring games likely means he'll open the year as the team's regular designated hitter. Devers was still one of the better all-around hitters in baseball in 2024, but his shoulder issues should have fantasy managers wondering how effective he'll be in 2025.

MLB.com's Ian Browne reports that Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers' (shoulders) Grapefruit League debut has once again been pushed back this week from Wednesday to Saturday. However, the team still expects him to be ready for Opening Day, and he's been taking live batting practice for more than a week. The 28-year-old has been trying to iron out his swing for the last few weeks while also making mechanical adjustments after two sore shoulders forced him into bad habits late last year. The Red Sox haven't said whether Devers will start the year at third base or at designated hitter, but all signs are pointing to the latter, especially after the team added Alex Bregman in free agency. Using Devers as the regular DH to begin the season will not only keep him healthy but allow him to continue to work on his new swing path. Devers at DH will make Masataka Yoshida the odd man out of the lineup.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulders) is set to make his spring debut on Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins. The 28-year-old has been built up slowly during camp due to his shoulder issues last season. However, the three-time All-star is on the verge of his spring debut. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status on defense as the team may opt to have him serve as the designated hitter during the early part of the season. Last season, the 28-year-old appeared in 138 contests and posted a .272/.354/.516 slash line with 34 doubles and 28 home runs. He generated an elite .364 xWOBA and .509 xSLG which placed him in the 92nd and 94th percentile respectively. He will likely see most of his starts at the hot corner or as a designated hitter when he is healthy.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulders) has yet to get into a Grapefruit League game. However, manager Alex Cora said the team is targeting a debut for either next Tuesday or Wednesday. Devers was originally expected to make his Grapefruit League debut this past Wednesday, but he informed the team that he wasn't quite ready. The 28-year-old battled through injuries to both of his shoulders in 2024 but still managed to hit .272/.354/.516 with an .871 OPS, 28 home runs and 83 RBI in 138 games. Devers' shoulder issues have never really been seen as something that will keep him from being ready for Opening Day later this month, but fantasy managers would really like to see him going soon so that he can get his timing down and be ready to go. He's been adamant that he wants to stick at third base, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him open the season as Boston's primary designated hitter.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulders) doesn't feel up to speed at the plate during live batting practice sessions and will not make his Grapefruit League debut on Wednesday, according to MLB.com's Ian Browne. Devers has asked manager Alex Cora for a little more time. Although Devers wants to stay at third base and the Red Sox haven't announced that he'll move off the hot corner in 2025, it's looking more and more likely that he'll at least start the regular season as the team's designated hitter to preserve his health. That would mean Alex Bregman starting at third and prospect Kristian Campbell slotting in at the keystone regularly. Not only was the 28-year-old's defense not very strong at third in 2024, but he battled injuries to both of his shoulders. He's currently not in danger of missing Opening Day, but there are more questions surround Devers as a midrange starting fantasy third baseman.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulder) has already said that he wants to stay at third base this season. The assumption was that newly added Alex Bregman would take over third base, which means Devers would become the everyday designated hitter. The coaching staff has been mostly avoiding the issue and saying these things will work themselves out. Devers struggled on the defense last season and it would make most sense to move him to the DH spot. That would give Kristian Campbell a chance to play everyday second base in Boston. Devers might not like it, but a move to DH makes the most sense for this team going forward.

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that the team is shooting for third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulder) to play in his first Grapefruit League game at third base a week from this Wednesday. However, Cora also said no final decisions have been made about which position Devers will play during the regular season. Meanwhile, Alex Bregman will play second base during spring training. Devers wants to stick at the hot corner, but Bregman is better defensively. If Devers were to move off third, he'd either move across the diamond to first base or serve as the team's regular designated hitter. The BoSox are keeping their options open. Devers declined defensively at third in 2024 and also battled injuries to both of his shoulders, so moving him off third would mainly be a decision to preserve his health. Offensively, Devers remains one of the best hitters in the game and is RotoBaller's No. 5 fantasy third baseman.

The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey reports that Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulders) has been doing separate infield and cage work at spring training as he continues to build up his shoulder program after dealing with injuries to both of his shoulders last year. The Red Sox expect Devers to start doing regular workouts next week, but it's something to keep an eye on moving forward. Boston is probably allowing the 28-year-old to work out separately as a precaution, and even though the team recently signed Alex Bregman, it appears that Devers will stay at the hot corner in 2025, with Bregman moving over to second base. However, if Devers' shoulder injuries linger, he could be ticketed for regular work as the designated hitter. As long as he's healthy, Devers should be considered a top-five fantasy third baseman after hitting 28 homers, driving in 83 and batting .272 in 138 games in 2024.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers said he will not serve as the designated hitter in 2025 if the team asks him to do so. "Third base is my position. I don't know what [the team's] plans are. I made it clear my desires and whatever happens, we'll see," Devers said. The Red Sox recently signed Alex Bregman, but the expectation is that Devers will stay at the hot corner and Bregman will shift to second base. The 28-year-old Devers has started 942 of his 951 MLB games at third base, but he's not as strong as Bregman defensively at third and played through injuries to both of his shoulders in 2024. Masahiro Tanaka is entrenched as the primary DH, with Triston Casas locked in as the full-time starter at first base, so Boston doesn't appear to have a ton of lineup flexibility. Regardless of where Devers plays mostly in 2025, he'll be a regular in the team's starting lineup after hitting 28 homers and driving in 83 last year.

Boston Red Sox chiefs baseball officer Craig Breslow said on Monday that "as of now," Rafael Devers is still the team's starting third baseman. The Red Sox have been very pleased with the work that Devers has put in this offseason. With that said, the club is still open to making the team better any way it can, so it doesn't mean they won't acquire someone like free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman, which could move Devers across the diamond to first base or to more of a full-time designated-hitter role. If the 28-year-old were to shift to first base, it would put Triston Casas firmly on the trade block. Another option for the BoSox is to trade for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado. While Devers remained strong offensively for fantasy managers in 2024, his defensive metrics took a hit at the hot corner, and he also dealt with nagging shoulder injuries as a result of diving for balls at third base.

After previous reports suggested the Boston Red Sox were considering moving Rafael Devers off third base going into next season, president of baseball operations Craig Breslow feels differently. "Rafael Devers is our third baseman and we are really excited about that," Breslow said this week at the MLB winter meetings. Manager Alex Cora has also confirmed that he hasn't had any talks with Devers about changing positions this offseason. The 28-year-old graded out poor defensively at the hot corner in 2024 and also played through nagging injuries to both of his shoulders. Boston would almost certainly move Devers in 2025 if they were to sign free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman, but until that happens, it looks like Devers is staying put. Defensive issues aside, the Dominican third baseman is a three-time All-Star and remained one of the most productive third baseman offensively last year.

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he can "guarantee" he hasn't had any talks with third baseman Rafael Devers this offseason about moving him off the hot corner. There have been talks around the league that the Red Sox could look to acquire St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado or sign free-agent 3B Alex Bregman and then move Devers from third base. Boston could also do so if they elect to trade first baseman Triston Casas this winter, but as of right now, it appears Cora doesn't have any plans for Devers to move from third. The 28-year-old isn't the best defensive third baseman to begin with and he injured his shoulder diving for a ball this past season. If Devers doesn't eventually move to first base, he could become a regular at designated hitter. On the offensive side, Devers struck out more in 2024 but remained productive due to a high barrel rate and plenty of walks.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulder) was placed on the 10-Day Injured List with left-shoulder inflammation. This will sideline the start corner infielder for the remainder of the 2024 season. The Red Sox promoted infielder Mickey Gasper from Triple-A in a corresponding move. Fantasy managers should expect Nick Sogard and Romy Gonzalez to cover the hot corner during the final week of the season. The 27-year-old will finish the campaign with a strong .272/.354/.516 line, 28 home runs, 83 RBI, and three stolen bases. Under the hood, Devers posted a 52.6% hard-hit and 13.0% barrel rates, which are among the highest marks in the sport. Devers should be expected to be drafted as one of the top third basemen in drafts next spring.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulder) will undergo an MRI exam on his right shoulder on Saturday, and when asked if he is OK, manager Alex Cora said, "No, he's not... Probably this is it for him." The skipper said that Devers injured his right shoulder while taking swings in the cages before the contest at Fenway Park against the Minnesota Twins. The 27-year-old went 1-for-4 with a walk and three strikeouts on Friday night and was replaced at third base by Vaughn Grissom in extra innings. Devers has dealt with injuries to both of his shoulders this year, but with Boston looking unlikely to make the playoffs and with just over a week left in the regular season, it appears that Devers' 2024 campaign will come to a close a bit early. If this is indeed it for Devers this year, he'll finish with a .272/.354/.516 slash line with 28 homers and 83 RBI.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulders) is back in action for Friday's series opener against the Detroit Tigers and right-hander Casey Mize at Comerica Park, serving as the designated hitter and batting cleanup. Rookie Nick Sogard will get another start at third and will hit seventh for the BoSox. Devers has been dealing with issues in both of his shoulders for most of the year and took the last three days off to rest up this week. Now that he's back, fantasy managers will want to get him back in their lineups in redraft leagues against Mize, who will be making his first start in two months due to a hamstring strain. Hopefully, the time off this week can break Devers out of his current slump at the plate. The 27-year-old Dominican has gone 10-for-43 (.233) in his last 11 games, although he does have three home runs and eight RBI in that span.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulders) remains out of the starting lineup on Thursday for the series finale at Fenway Park against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. Rookie Nick Sogard will make the start at the hot corner and will bat eighth against Blue Jays right-hander Bowden Francis. Devers has been battling through issues in both of his shoulders for much of the year and will now miss his third straight game as a result. However, the Red Sox expect him back for Friday's series opener in Detroit against the Tigers, so fantasy managers shouldn't have to wait much longer to get him back. Devers is one of the best hitters in the game, but he has had a down month in August, going 21-for-88 (.239) with four home runs, seven doubles, 11 RBI, 11 walks and 25 strikeouts in 22 games played. Hopefully, the time off this week will get him back on track when he returns this weekend.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulders) remains out of Boston's starting lineup on Wednesday at Fenway Park against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. It's Devers' second straight day off while he battles through soreness in both of his shoulders. The 27-year-old All-Star has battled shoulder issues all year, so the Red Sox are giving him a little break this week. For now, fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day and check back to see if he's available for Thursday's series finale against Toronto. Devers is one of the best hitters in the game when healthy and is a must-start when he's active. Romy Gonzalez will replace him again at the hot corner and bat eighth against Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt on Wednesday. Gonzalez has never faced Bassitt and has little upside in DFS lineups in the eight-hole.