Bregman on Devers' preference for 3B: 'I'll play wherever'

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Hours after Rafael Devers made news at Red Sox camp with his insistence on staying at third base, he enjoyed comfortable banter with Alex Bregman at a team dinner that was held at manager Alex Cora¡¯s house on Monday.

Bregman, also a third baseman, was asked specifically Tuesday about his interactions with Devers.

¡°They¡¯ve been great. We¡¯ve been having a lot of fun,¡± Bregman said. ¡°We¡¯ve been taking ground balls back here, during our work together. Talking about winning. Talking about baseball. Talking about being excited for the season. Last night we all got together and had dinner. It¡¯s great.¡±

Though Bregman won the American League¡¯s Gold Glove Award at third base last season, he is willing to move off the hot corner and play second base if that¡¯s what Cora decides is best for the team.

¡°I¡¯m super excited to just be his teammate,¡± Bregman said of Devers. ¡°He¡¯s a great player. I think everybody in this clubhouse is worried about winning, and whatever it takes to help the team win -- that¡¯s all I¡¯m focused on. I¡¯ll play wherever AC tells me to play.¡±

While positions are going to continue to play out as camp progresses, what pleases Cora is the way Bregman and Devers are working together.

And that includes on and off the field.

Cora had the team come to his house as a bonding experience on Monday, just hours after Devers held his much-discussed press conference, and the skipper couldn¡¯t help but notice the interaction between the two decorated veterans.

¡°They were talking for 45 minutes,¡± said Cora.

Bregman took no offense to what Devers, Boston¡¯s longest-tenured player, expressed to the media.

¡°I think everybody here believes in their abilities,¡± Bregman said. ¡°I think all of us believe that if we all put together a good effort this season, we have a really good chance of being a winning baseball team. For me, I can only talk for myself, I¡¯ll play wherever it helps the team win.¡±

The Red Sox have yet to say they are going to have Devers switch positions. To this point, they just broached the possibility of him going to DH depending on how the roster situation plays out in camp.

Though Devers gave the hypothetical a hard no, he will try to improve his standing at third with a strong camp.

Casas endorses Devers as third baseman

It isn¡¯t surprising that first baseman Triston Casas, the most unfiltered member of the Red Sox, made his feelings known on the position controversy that impacts third and second base.

¡°I think it's Raffy Devers¡¯ position,¡± said Casas. ¡°I think he's the third baseman. He's done it for a really long time now. And I think he's only getting better at that position. I think his defense is getting better every single year. We don't know what the future holds, but we know it holds Raffy Devers.

¡°So I think he's got to play defense. It's going to keep him athletic and he's going to hit because of him being at third base. He doesn't know any other position. He doesn't want to play any other position. And he's going to fight for it, even if it's with any of the younger guys, any new guy.¡±

Casas has no doubt that Bregman could make a smooth transition to second.

¡°I think Bregman should play second, yeah. I think he's going to make the transition well -- I think he's athletic enough to,¡± Casas said. ¡°And I think Trevor [Story] is going to play an awesome shortstop.¡±

But what if MLB Pipeline¡¯s No. 7 prospect Kristian Campbell has a strong camp that puts him into the mix for second base? Interestingly, Casas feels the big three of Campbell, Roman Anthony (MLB¡¯s No. 2 prospect) and Marcelo Mayer (No. 12 as rated by Pipeline) should all start the season in the Minor Leagues.

¡°I think we¡¯ve got some grown men out there right now that need to iron some things out,¡± Casas said. ¡°We need to show up and see what that first taste of us all together looks like. I think their time is going to come, and it could be earlier rather than later, but I think for right now, the roster is beautiful. It's organized great, and it's structured really well.¡±