The Boston Red Sox have some present stars, and they also look to have some future stars. Figuring out how to fit them all on the lineup card is going to be an interesting challenge.
The current face of the Red Sox is third baseman Rafael Devers. Jarren Duran might be on track to becoming the team’s leader and Triston Casas has been doing a lot of front-facing appearances off the field, but Devers is still the team’s best player, and he’s been around the longest.
But there’s no way around it–Devers simply isn’t a good defender. He leads Major League Baseball third baseman in errors since the start of the 2019 season, and he’s past the age now (28) where he can be counted upon to improve dramatically.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox have a top shortstop prospect, Marcelo Mayer, who may have to shift to third base at some point. And one MLB writer believes that time is coming sooner than some may think.
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter projected “five-year plans” at third base for every MLB team, and on Wednesday, he predicted that Mayer would take over for Devers as the full-time starter by the 2026 season.
“It’s only a matter of time before Devers transitions to being a full-time designated hitter, as he has long been a below-average defender at third base and the Red Sox have a wealth of young infield talent,” Reuter wrote.
“Mayer has never possessed the quick-twitch athleticism generally associated with future shortstops. And with a strong arm and a 55-hit, 55-power offensive profile, he should be a clean fit at third base.”
The 22-year-old Mayer should be able to make his MLB debut this season, though injuries have cut his season short in each of the last two years. Proving that he can stay healthy will be just as important as proving he is ready to hit big-league pitching or handle any defensive position.
It would be a tough decision to move Devers to a full-time designated hitter role just three years into his 10-year, $313.5 million extension. But the Red Sox have to be realistic about his defensive abilities.
Of course, there’s still the possibility that the Red Sox could trade for Nolan Arenado or sign Alex Bregman, both of which could drastically alter the current plans.
One thing seems clear, though: 2025 will be a pivotal year for both left-handed sluggers to determine their paths with Boston moving forward.
