Legendary Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz isn’t worried about where Rafael Devers and Alex Bregman will play once the season gets underway this spring, but he says it’s crucial for the entire club to get on the same page.
Ortiz spoke to Audacy’s Rob Bradford on the ‘Baseball Isn’t Boring’ podcast from Spring Training, and said Devers’ pointed refusal to move off his post on third base to make room for fresh face Bregman was likely born out of how quickly the front office had to move to seal the deal.
“The organization would never try to hurt a specific guy like Devers. Sometimes there’s a situation that happens, and you have to move fast and go in that direction,” he said.
The Red Sox signed Bregman, a former American League Gold Glove Award winning third baseman, in mid-February on a $120 million, 3-year deal. The day after his introductory press conference in Fort Myers, Devers told reporters he did not intend to move to the designated hitter position, nor leave third base, in 2025.
Now that the entire club is playing together, Ortiz said, it needs to be about the team, rather than individuals:
“That we all need to be on the same page, especially as a player, and understand situations sometimes – it’s going to happen. It’s going to happen because Devers is a great competitor. The team is trying to bring in guys like Bregman to get the team better, and at some point, it’s all about putting the ego aside.”
That sensibility might sound easier said than done, but Ortiz added that he believes in Devers’ character.
“Devers is a great kid and I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea about him,” he said.
“I want him to also understand that this organization is trying to build up good players around him, that he doesn’t have to have the pressure the whole time, that he doesn’t have to do it on his own the whole time,” he added.
Ortiz reminisced about how when he first joined the Red Sox, he “came with the mentality of playing first base.”
“But guess what? I was the type of player that, as long as I can hurt you, and win games, I would do whatever it takes,” he said.
He noted that it didn’t take him too long to wrap his head around moving to designated hitter, but that his mentality may not be the same as every other hitter’s.
“Not everybody’s me. I cannot look at Devers or anybody else thinking, ‘Oh I did it, why can’t they?’”
Another major point in the Red Sox’ favor when it comes to ironing out any potential drama is the strength of their leader, Alex Cora. Ortiz was effusive in his Cora praise.
“We’re going to be fine. Everybody’s going to be on the same page,” Ortiz said. “We have the best manager in baseball, which is Alex Cora. I’ll tell you, I would have loved to have a manager like him in my playing time because Alex is not just a manager. Alex understands the players’ feelings better than anybody I have seen.”
“We have a great GM, [Craig] Breslow, he loves communication. We’ve got a great president, Sam [Kennedy], and we’ve got the best owner in baseball. This organization is not asleep and just waiting for things to happen magically,” Ortiz added.