Red Sox leadership drops the ball on third base chaos

Third baseman Rafael Devers has every right to be furious.

Imagine signing an 11-year, $331 million extension as the face of a franchise, only to wake up two years later and find your team chasing your replacement without so much as a conversation.

Thats precisely what the Boston Red Sox did.

It was not due to defensive metrics, analytics or some grand strategic shift it was mismanagement.

Third baseman Alex Bregmans three-year, $120 million deal should have been a defining move for an organization desperate to reclaim relevance.

Instead, its become another entry in the Red Soxs ongoing saga of dysfunction .

The problem isnt Bregman.

Hes saying all the right things.

Im super excited to just be his teammate, Bregman told reporters via WEEIs Rob Bradford .

But the teams handling of Devers, a three-time All-Star, has been nothing short of reckless.

Manager Alex Cora initially tried to assure everyone that Devers would have every chance to remain at third base.

He feels like hes a third baseman.

Hes going to work out as a third baseman, and then we'll make decisions accordingly, Cora told MLB.com's Ian Browne .

Then came the shift.

When asked whether Devers had been promised the position by former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, Cora's response was telling.

Different people here, right? he said.

Theres a different leader here.

Chaim is in St.

Louis now.

Translation? The Red Sox never had a real plan.

Like everyone else, Devers was left to piece it together.

Rather than an honest conversation with their star player before pursuing Bregman, the front office let the situation spiral into unnecessary drama.

Devers made his stance clear.

No.

Third base is my position.

It's what I play.

I don't know what their plans are.

We had a conversation.

I made it clear on what my desires were.

Whatever happens from here, I don't know," he told The Athletic's Steve Buckley.

For an organization that emphasizes accountability, its leaderships handling of this situation raises serious questions.

This isnt new territory for Boston.

Red Sox owner John Henry hasnt spoken to the media since January 2022 .

In that time, the team finished last in the AL East twice, made Corey Kluber its Opening Day starter, traded away an eventual Cy Young winner , produced a Netflix documentary and raised ticket prices .

Boston couldn't even be bothered to give Devers a straight answer about his future.

Instead, they tried to gaslight him while ignoring their lack of proactive communication.

It's not about who plays third base.

Its about how the Red Sox treat their stars.

If Devers is truly the franchise's poster child, he deserved better than to be blindsided.

Leadership isnt just about making splashy signings.

Its about communication, accountability and respect for the players who define your organization.

This was never about whether Devers or Bregman is the better defensive third baseman.

Its about leadership or, in Bostons case, the lack of it.

Colin Cerniglia is an Amazon bestselling author, co-host of the "2 Jocks and a Schlub" podcast from Blue Wire, and a contributor to The Charlotte Observer.

With a deep passion for baseball and college football, he offers extensive knowledge and enthusiasm to his writing.

Colin resides in Charlotte, NC, with his wife and two daughters.

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