The Boston Red Sox believed the signing of Alex Bregman would make them a contender. The addition of a two-time World Series champion and former Gold Glove winner is a boost for their lineup and in the field. But what the Red Sox didn’t expect was the domino effect Bregman’s arrival would have on the infield.
The domino effect was apparent when Rafael Devers addressed the media on Monday morning. After defiantly saying he was a third baseman and refusing to become a designated hitter if the Red Sox asked, Devers admitted he would be open to the idea of a trade.
A deal is unlikely as Devers has nine years left on his contract and is one of the worst defensive third basemen in baseball. But with Bregman’s arrival and the possibility that top prospect Kristian Campbell breaks camp with the team, Devers may have to look for suitors or come to grips with the fact he needs to play third base.
So who could be interested in the 28-year-old? Here’s a look at some potential trade partners.
Detroit Tigers
The Tigers came into the offseason with plenty of excitement but it didn’t result in big spending over the winter. Detroit added Gleyber Torres and Jack Flaherty in free agency but other than that, their roster hasn’t changed much from last year’s surprising playoff run.
This wasn’t due to a lack of effort. The Tigers were connected to Bregman throughout his free agent tour and offered more money before he chose to sign with the Red Sox. Although a three-year, $120 million contract with an opt-out could allow him to hit the market and try to get a long-term contract next offseason, Detroit was interested in adding another big salary to the payroll.
So could Devers be their door prize? It depends on a few factors.
Jace Jung was a former top prospect in the Tigers system and projects as the team’s Opening Day third baseman. Although the 23-year-old made his major league debut last season, his performance didn’t hint that a superstar turn is coming, hitting .241/.362/.304 with no home runs and three RBI in 34 games.
Even if Jung starts the year in the lineup, things could go south quickly if he struggles out of the gate.
This could lead the Tigers into the midseason trade market. Detroit is projected to have an 81-81 record according to FanGraphs’ ZIPS projections but it’s only four games behind the Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins, who are both projected to finish with a record of 85-77.
With a staff that includes reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and promising arms in Reese Olson, Casey Mize and Jackson Jobe, the Tigers could be in all-in mode sooner than later. They also have top prospects in Jobe and Max Clark to serve as a centerpiece for a deal.
Would it be enough to acquire Devers? That remains to be seen. But it’s a compelling case for a promising team to put their path to contention into overdrive.
Houston Astros
While the Tigers are mourning the love they never had, the Astros are mourning the love they lost. Bregman was a key component of the Astros’ World Series titles in 2017 and 2023, but it always felt like his departure was imminent even as they made a compelling final offer for him to stay.
The drama included a failed trade for Nolan Arenado and a successful one for Isaac Paredes last December. But it also still leaves a giant void that could be filled by an All-Star bat.
The Astros are hoping that Paredes can be that guy. A former All-Star with the Tampa Bay Rays, Paredes hit .238/.346/.393 with 19 home runs and 80 RBI last season but slumped to .223/.325/.307 with three homers and 25 RBI in 52 games after he was traded to the Chicago Cubs.
Houston’s vision sees Paredes using his pull-happy approach to shoot lasers into the Crawford Boxes at Daikin Park. But his contact rates haven’t translated to screaming power with an average exit velocity of 85 mph, according to Baseball Savant.
Left-handers like Devers have a more difficult time in Houston than at Fenway Park, but Devers has the power to hit it out of any park. If Paredes falters, Devers could step in and give the Astros the bat they’re looking for, and they’ve shown a tendency of going all-in before.
After almost acquiring Arenado, their third base situation is one to monitor and could be the focal point for a midseason blockbuster trade.
Seattle Mariners
If we’re thinking of teams that need offense, the Seattle Mariners are at the top of the list. The Mariners were dreadful at the plate last season, averaging a meager 4.17 runs per game, and didn’t add much to their lineup this offseason.
Instead of going out and making a run for a big bat, Seattle decided to play budget ball. Donovan Solano was an analytics marvel in his late 30s and had an average exit velocity of 90.2 mph with the Minnesota Twins in 2023. But his glove (minus-3 outs above average) and a drop in exit velocity to 87.3 mph last season make him look like a reserve at best.
Polanco was also expected to be a key contributor after a trade with the Twins last winter but that didn’t pan out either. Although he was battling injuries, Polanco posted his lowest full season wins above replacement at 1.3 and had a meager .213/.296/.355 batter's line with 16 home runs and 45 RBI in 118 games last season. Seattle declined the final option year of his contract but brought him back mainly because he came at a significantly cheaper cost.
This alone should have the Mariners considering pulling the trigger on a bigger bat to pair with Julio Rodriguez. But Seattle has also been talking to the Red Sox about the framework for a Luis Castillo trade this offseason. Triston Casas was originally part of those talks but would the Mariners be interested in swapping a pair of high-priced salaries instead?
It might be the best move. Seattle has one of the better starting staffs in the league with Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller, and Bryan Woo and trading Castillo could give Emerson Hancock the opportunity to become a full-time starter. The Mariners also have to add some offense not to squander Rodriguez’s prime, and bringing in Devers could be a way to help him recover from the down year he had in 2024.
With Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford dealing with injuries to open Spring Training, adding Castillo as insurance could be a solid play for Boston.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays have been the bridesmaids to just about every free agent signing this winter. Toronto was in on Juan Soto but he chose the New York Mets. They were talking to Pete Alonso before he chose to go back to the Mets. Roki Sasaki was interested in Toronto before he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. If you know of another free agent, they were probably in on them, too.
The string of offseason failures has to sting. But it hurts even more knowing the clock is ticking on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
The Blue Jays slugger is currently negotiating with Toronto and previously stated that the first day of Spring Training was a deadline for a long-term contract. While Boston can’t whip up a trade out of thin air (We’re not talking about Luka Doncic here.) there are a couple of ways this could go.
Let’s say Guerrero decides to stay in Toronto. The Blue Jays’ current Opening Day third baseman is Ernie Clement, who owns a career .249/.282/.361 batter’s line with 16 home runs and 76 RBI in four major league seasons. With Bo Bichette likely to leave after this season, it feels like Guerrero would be doing everything himself with their current lineup, which is where Devers’ arrival could help.
Toronto’s defense would be tough to watch with Devers at third base but it could be resolved by putting a few tanks into the third deck at Rogers Centre.
There’s also a world where Devers and Guerrero become the focal points of a blockbuster trade. Toronto would have to deal with the long-term ramifications of Devers at third base while he ages but Boston could come out ahead by grabbing Guerrero even if it means including Casas in the trade.
Dealing within the division is always a bold move. But if Toronto can’t work out a deal with their star, it’s at least worth the call.
Milwaukee Brewers
The first four teams on this list are from the American League. While that’s not a disqualifier from a trade, it also isn’t ideal for the Red Sox. Why would you want to trade Devers to a division rival or an American League team if you don’t have to? The answer could be that there’s not a lot of obvious suitors in the National League.
The National League is filled with teams who are either ready to go at third base or don’t want to add money to their payroll. As much fun as it would be for Pirates fans to pair Devers with Paul Skenes on MLB The Show, it’s unlikely to happen in real life because they rarely spend money.
The Mets could also be a dark horse suitor but Mark Vientos is coming off a breakout season where he hit .266/.322/.516 with 27 homers and 71 RBI in 111 games.
Then there’s the Dodgers, who have never seen a contract they haven’t liked. Max Muncy isn’t getting any younger at third base, but they may be comfortable with just letting it ride.
Thus, we have to wonder which teams could be a suitor as the year goes on, including the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Brewers haven’t been free spenders but they have a need at third base. Joey Ortiz moved to shortstop after Willy Adames signed with the San Francisco Giants last winter, and their current Opening Day third baseman is Oliver Dunn, a 26-year-old journeyman who hit .221/.282/.316 with a home run and seven RBI in 41 games last season.
Milwaukee is probably going to need a third baseman and they may be interested before this summer’s trade deadline. Could Devers be on that list? A few things need to happen.
First, Milwaukee needs to live up to its potential as ZIPS projects them to finish with an 84-78 record next season. The Red Sox relationship with Devers also has to become so toxic that they need to find a way to get him out of Boston.
The latter is a struggle and it’s hard to see the Red Sox taking on money so a small-market team that the Brewers can bring him into town. But stranger deals have happened and Devers’s rant could have opened the door for a blockbuster.