Rafael Devers turned the hot corner into hot-topic material before Alex Bregman had time to back out of a perceived territorial dispute with the Boston Red Sox.
Devers emphatically stated Monday he believes third base is his position in response to whether he was comfortable playing elsewhere to make room for the newly signed Bregman.
“I’m super excited to just be [Devers’] teammate,” Bregman told reporters Tuesday. “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 [manager Alex Cora] tells me to play.”
Bregman, a Gold Glove-winning third baseman with the Houston Astros, signed with the Red Sox earlier this month without consideration as to what position he would play. His relationship with Cora underscored they would both have the team’s best interest at heart, regardless of where the Red Sox decide to use their best nine players.
Bregman and Devers were alongside others at Cora’s rental house for dinner on Monday night, dispelling reports of simmering drama between the All-Stars.
Cora added to the opinion that all is well with the infielders after watching Devers receive constructive feedback from Bregman during glove work on the practice field earlier Monday.
Cora also said Bregman and Devers “were talking for 45 minutes” during the gathering at his house.
“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.
“I can only talk for myself but I’ll play wherever helps the team win.”
It’s realistic to presume top prospect Kristian Campbell is part of the equation when Cora pencils in his starting lineup on Opening Day.
Campbell, 22, said Monday he is working out exclusively at second base despite also previously playing in the outfield. He batted .330 with 20 home runs, 24 stolen bases and 32 doubles in 115 games across three levels of the Red Sox farm system in 2024.
“[Everyone] saw last year how special of a player he is,” Bregman said of Campbell, who was primarily a second baseman as a freshman in his only season at Georgia Tech.
Campbell was drafted 132nd overall by the Red Sox in 2023 — a selection Boston was granted as compensation for losing Xander Bogaerts to the Padres in free agency — and last year was named the top hitter in the minor leagues.
Field Level Media contributed to this report.