Whit Merrifield offers a stark assessment regarding Rafael Devers' current predicament
In the ongoing Red Sox drama, Whit Merrifield, the Kansas City Royals second baseman, has expressed his opinions on the turbulent situation surrounding Rafael Devers.
The Red Sox's latest move, shifting Devers from third base to designated hitter (DH), didn't sit well with their star. This change came with the acquisition of Alex Bregman, leaving Devers unenthusiastic as he entered the second year of his massive 10-year, $313.5 million contract. Now, with Triston Casas out for the season, Devers is holding firm, refusing to play first base, a position he has never fielded in his Major League career.
The situation has garnered serious attention, with a trade seemingly possible, despite Devers' high-profile contract and status as the team's leading player.
Merrifield appears to side with the Red Sox in this matter.
"From a player's standpoint, it's only fair that they ask Raffy to give first base a shot," Merrifield stated during an appearance on Foul Territory. "In another context it'd be different, like if he was a free agent or still going through arbitration and the Red Sox had grounds to use his defensive metrics against him," he added.
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Ken Rosenthal, a sports analyst from The Athletic, seems to be supporting Devers' stance in this complex debate. According to Rosenthal, while the Red Sox have the right to ask Devers to switch positions for a better third baseman, doing so after investing in him as a hitter isn't fair. The team is paying him to excel at the plate, and asking him to learn a new position on the fly is unreasonable, as his value primarily lies in his hitting skills.
Rosenthal believes the Red Sox should not be held responsible for Devers' predicament. He argues that Devers agreed to the position change during spring training, when the team indicated that he was expected solely to focus on DH duties. Furthermore, the team had not adequately planned for first baseman Triston Casas' injury, leaving them without a suitable alternative. Therefore, transitioning Devers to first base now risks injury, offensive regression, and embarrassment for the star player.
Devers himself addressed the team's demands last week, voicing his concerns publicly, setting the stage for this heated controversy.
"I think they should do their jobs essentially, and hit the market and look for another player," Devers said bluntly. "I'm not sure why they want me to be in between the way they have been."
[1] baseballpages.com/reports/devers-refuses-play-first-base/[2] bostonsportsjournal.com/devers-earns-player-of-the-week-amid-position-controversy/[3] masslive.com/red-sox-rafael-devers-contentious-situation-explained/693xg52v0x7nmljqzgbygqge6i/
- Merrifield, echoing the sports analyst Ken Rosenthal, suggests that the Red Sox should give Rafael Devers a chance to play first base, as it would be fair to ask him to adapt to a new position given his current contract.
- Despite the Red Sox's acquisition of Alex Bregman, Rafael Devers continues to hold firm on his refusal to play first base, citing the potential risk of injury, offensive regression, and embarrassment associated with the transition.
