Rafael Devers and the Boston Red Sox have been caught in a slow-burning saga for the past four months, and it’s got Fenway buzzing with tension. The star slugger’s frustration with the organization isn’t exactly a secret, and now Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez is pointing the finger at manager Alex Cora for letting things get messy. On Tuesday’s B/R Walkoff Live, Pedro didn’t hold back, saying Cora’s mishandled the situation with Devers—especially when it comes to the idea of moving the 28-year-old from third base to first—and it’s stirred up a public drama that could’ve been kept behind closed doors.
Pedro’s take is straightforward: Cora should’ve played it smarter. Instead of letting the idea of Devers switching positions leak out, Martinez thinks Cora could’ve quietly had Devers take grounders at first base during practice, framing it as extra work to help the team while injuries heal. “Devers would have gone to first, caught some ground balls, and nobody would have known that he was being trained to be a first baseman,” Pedro said. “Not even Devers would probably realize that he was actually being conditioned to become a first baseman, because Devers never says no to any type of work.” In other words, Devers is a team player who’d grind at any task—third, first, even the outfield—without complaint, if it’s handled right.
The real spark in this fire, though, came with the Red Sox’s signing of Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman. Martinez argues Cora fumbled the aftermath by letting it become public knowledge that Devers might shift to first to make room for Bregman. “I don’t think it should have been out there that he was probably gonna be tried at first base and that Bregman was gonna be the only guy at third,” Pedro said. His point? If Bregman gets hurt—and injuries happen—Boston would need Devers back at third. Telling a guy like Devers, who’s been a cornerstone at the hot corner, to ditch his glove and learn a new position in front of 45,000 fans at Fenway is a recipe for embarrassment. “The guy’s shy enough. He doesn’t want to look bad,” Martinez added, drawing from his own experience watching Devers’ work ethic up close.
Now, Pedro’s got a point, but it’s not the full picture. Cora’s been dodging questions about Devers at first base, trying to keep things vague. It was Devers himself who went public, torching the Red Sox and revealing that chief baseball officer Craig Breslow floated the position switch. That’s where things got messy—less about Cora’s loose lips and more about Devers feeling disrespected enough to air it out. Either way, Martinez sees Cora’s approach as a misstep, failing to shield a star player from a narrative that’s now spiraling.
This drama’s got layers. Devers, with his .280/.351/.523 career slash line and 192 homers, is the heart of Boston’s lineup, and at 28, he’s in his prime. Asking him to move from third—where he’s logged 1,013 games—to first, a position he’s never played, feels like a slap to a guy who’s given everything to the Sox. Bregman’s arrival, with his Gold Glove pedigree and postseason swagger, was supposed to bolster the infield, not spark a soap opera. Fans on X are split—some back Pedro, saying Cora should’ve kept it in-house, while others argue Devers’ outburst put the team in a tough spot. One thing’s clear: this isn’t just about ground balls. It’s about trust, respect, and how you handle a franchise cornerstone.
For Red Sox Nation, this is a gut check. Cora’s got to navigate a delicate situation with a shy superstar who hates the spotlight but loves the grind. Devers isn’t the type to half-step, but he needs to feel valued. Picture him digging in at Fenway, launching a homer into the Monster seats, and reminding everyone why he’s the guy Boston builds around. If Cora can patch things up and keep Devers locked in—whether at third or experimenting at first—this team’s still got the firepower to contend. But if the rift grows, it’s a long summer ahead. For now, all eyes are on Cora to play peacemaker and get the Sox back to winning, not whining.
