The third baseman controversy in Boston is over after manager Alex Cora told WEEI on Wednesday that newcomer Alex Bregman will be the team’s third baseman and Rafael Devers will serve as designated hitter.
The decision is about what’s best for the team, according to Cora. The Red Sox open the campaign at the Texas Rangers on Thursday.
Devers, the starter at the hot corner for the past seven full seasons, was not happy about a possible position switch when Bregman was signed as a free agent in the offseason.
Bregman won the American League Gold Glove for the Houston Astros last season while Devers led the AL in errors by a third baseman for the seventh straight season.
“We made a decision,” Cora said Wednesday. “Alex is going to play third, Raffy’s going to DH. We all are in the winning business, and (Devers) understands that.”
Analytics point to Bregman as the better third baseman and so does the error count.
Bregman has made 81 errors in 995 career games as a third baseman. Devers has committed 141 in 951 games at third.
Devers, 29, is known for swinging a powerful bat. The three-time All-Star has a .279 career average with 200 homers and 638 RBIs in 980 games.
Bregman, 30, has a .272 career average with 191 homers and 663 RBIs in 1,111 games. He is a two-time All-Star.
