Top landing spots for disgruntled Red Sox star Rafael Devers

Rafael Devers and the Boston Red Sox have a problem on their hands. In spring training, Boston brought in third baseman and two-time All-Star Alex Bregman with the intention of him playing second base. Then, Boston changed course and put Bregman at third base, and made Devers its designated hitter.

Now, with first baseman Triston Casas out for the season due to a ruptured patellar tendon, Devers is refusing to play first base, with him telling the front office to "do their jobs" to find a first baseman. Devers also recently met with team owner John Henry to discuss the matter. "Nothing to see here, please disperse!"

Devers is in the second season of a 10-year, $313.5 million deal, with the contract including deferrals through 2043 and any team that potentially acquires the two-time Silver Slugger having to pay him an extra $2 million. Is it an ideal contract to inherit? Of course not. At the same time, with both sides on the same page on where Devers is playing, he's worth the $31.4 million average annual salary and would be an offensive linchpin for any MLB team.

If Boston and the three-time All-Star can't resolve their differences, here are the three best trade destinations for Devers.

3. Chicago Cubs

Chicago is first in MLB in runs, which makes the idea of trading for an impact bat sound superfluous. On the other hand, this is a Cubs franchise that hasn't made the playoffs in five years, is looking to get over the hump as a core and could use a long-term answer at the hot corner. Devers would put them over the top.

Jon Berti and Nicky Lopez can hold their own, but the Cubs could also use more offense from the hot corner, and Devers would likely present the best possible third baseman attainable via trade — should it reach a breaking point with Boston. Devers would add another left-handed hitter to an already balanced lineup from a left/right standpoint and somebody who ranks in the top-one percent of MLB in average exit velocity this season.

Pete Crow-Armstrong looks like a future star and Michael Busch is coming into his own. With Kyle Tucker now in the mix and veterans like Seiya Suzuki, Dansby Swanson and Ian Happ present, Devers would add a player who fits Chicago's timeline and give them both a long-term piece to the puzzle and another proven hitter to complement budding stars like Crow-Armstrong and Busch.

In the National League, there's no such thing as too much power or starting pitching because the First Order, otherwise known as the Los Angeles Dodgers, has established the roster of the century, and any team that wants to win the NL pennant has to get through them. Devers has played in 26 career postseason games, is a consistent force from the left side of the plate and would cement the Cubs' offense in place as an elite unit.

All that said, what could stop the Cubs from making a Devers trade is them having to pay Tucker a mammoth contract this winter and perhaps preferring to give 2023 first-rounder Matt Shaw — who appeared in 18 games for the Cubs earlier this season — the runway to become their full-time third baseman.

2. Detroit Tigers

Like Chicago, Detroit is swinging the bats at an elite level. Heck, being fourth in runs isn't too shabby, nor is having the best record in the American League (26-13). But projecting how the rest of the season plays out, the Tigers don't have a consistent star bat. Devers gives them that bat.

Andy Ibanez has had his moments, but he has also played multiple infield spots and left field, making him tailor-made for a utility role should he get bounced out of the everyday lineup for Devers altogether. Spencer Torkelson is off to an encouraging start (10 home runs and .543 slugging percentage), and Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter have proven to be reliable forces from the left side. The addition of veteran middle infielder Gleyber Torres and a resurgent Javier Baez (.308 batting average) are impactful developments, but, in the end, it's likely not enough for the Tigers to do more than win the AL Central.

Devers, who has averaged 31.6 home runs per season from 2019-24, excluding the shortened 2020 campaign, becomes Detroit's most feared hitter and someone who immediately gets put in the three-spot or cleanup — and the power of that bat being a left-handed hitter is an added bonus.

The backbone of Detroit is its starting rotation, which is a unit that includes Tarik Skubal, Reese Olson, Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize. If they're going to challenge a proven AL contender like the New York Yankees or a traditional contender like the Houston Astros, the Tigers need their offense to be in the top-half of the sport, and so far, so good. Relying on that high-level play holding up internally even if a definitive upgrade presents itself on the trade market like Devers, though, likely won't be enough for them to represent the AL in the 2025 World Series.

All that said, Detroit may view Baez continuing to hit at a high level and the arrival of Torres as enough of a veteran complement to play out the season and sign a top-tier free agent position player in the offseason, as opposed to trading a haul for one. Maybe 2022 first-round pick and third baseman Jace Jung pans out with more reps?

1. Seattle Mariners

The Mariners are atop the AL West in the early portion of the season. Where have we seen this before? Last season. The Mariners are swinging the bats far better than they did last season, but complacency is the enemy of the fool: Seattle should take a swing at Devers.

Julio Rodriguez is a superstar talent, but the production hasn't been there over the past two seasons, with the outfielder boasting a .233/.327/.407 slash line one year after posting a mere .273/.325/.409 slash line and hitting 20 home runs. Devers would be Seattle's most formidable hitter from the jump, providing an overwhelming power threat from the left side.

The best version of Rodriguez is a five-tool player; Cal Raleigh has as good of a bat as any catcher in the sport; Jorge Polanco is hitting out of his mind to the tune of a 1.067 OPS; J.P. Crawford is batting a plausible .285; Dylan Moore is off to an auspicious start (.280/.330/.524 slash line); Randy Arozarena and Rowdy Tellez will provide power. If the Mariners merely get the best version of half of the aforementioned players, Devers makes them a legitimate contender.

One could argue that Seattle has the best starting rotation in the American League with Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo, Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller present. It has been the same deal for the Mariners since 2022, with their rotation being stellar and their offense lacking in consistent production, which has kept them out of the playoffs the past two seasons.

There isn't a team in the AL West that's going to run away with the division. The Astros are a proven commodity but playing .500 baseball and snatched the AL West last season with just 88 wins and were swept at home in the wild-card round; the Texas Rangers are just a season removed from winning the World Series but are off to another subpar start; the Athletics are an emerging force, but the Mariners are the more proven team.

If Moore, Polanco and others keep up their career years, that's phenomenal for manager Dan Wilson. Relying on that happening if the ability to acquire a star bat is on the table would be a mistake, though. Devers would give the Mariners the oomph their offense needs, and their infield rotation is versatile enough to the point where the third baseman's arrival shouldn't substantially alter their defensive alignment; Moore has played every position but catcher, and Polanco — who has primarily been the team's designated hitter this season — can play both second and third base.

Getting Boston's attention in a trade proposal would likely involve Seattle putting at least two former first-round draft picks like Colt Emerson, Cole Young and Harry Ford in the deal. The Mariners have been a team on the cusp of contention for five years. They have a roster of players who are ready to roll. If the opportunity to acquire Devers presents itself, they shouldn't hesitate. If now isn't the time for Seattle to acquire a star bat, then when is?

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