Recently, the Boston Red Sox have been at odds with superstar Rafael Devers.
After signing Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million deal in the off-season, Red Sox management told Devers he would need to move off of playing Third. While Devers lamented the move, he would eventually find his footing as DH after some early struggles. Playing exclusively on offense, the 28-year-old has slashed .253/.374/.447 for a .820 OPS and 130 OPS+ this season.
Actually, can you play first?
But after a serious injury to first baseman Triston Casas, Devers refused to transition to first base. This refusal ruffled some feathers in Boston and prompted trade speculation.
Enter the Chicago Cubs, who have arguably been at the center of those talks.
In a recent article written by Zach Kaplan of Yahoo Sports, he predicted that the Three-time All-Star could end up in Chicago.
“Between the 28-year-old’s massive paycheck and the Red Sox’s prime window for contention, many are calling for Devers to be traded, a move which would likely cause a swift call-up of Anthony and fellow top prospect Marcelo Mayer. One very interesting destination would be the NL-Central leading Chicago Cubs, who have a significant need at third base.”
Cubs need help at the Hot Corner
The move certainly makes sense for the Cubs. Since trading former MVP Kris Bryant back in 2021, the Cubs have been unable to nail down any consistency at the hot corner. Names like Patrick Wisdom, Isaac Paredes, David Bote, and Christopher Morel have come and gone without giving Chicago an answer. Third base has stuck out like a sore thumb for Chicago this season in an otherwise strong lineup.
The hope for Chicago is that top prospect Matt Shaw can eventually be the third baseman long term, but the fact is, he is still a prospect. He has not proven he can be an elite-caliber hitter in the big leagues like Devers has.
While I’m not saying Cubs fans should give up on a player who is 23 years old and had just a cup of coffee in the majors, I am saying you never know. The Red Sox could provide the Cubs with a guaranteed star at the position.
The other benefit for Chicago is Devers’ contract. The former World Series champion is under contract through 2034 and is due about $28 million a season. While his contract is expensive, it would give Chicago, or any other trade partner, almost a decade’s worth of control.
The Cubs have assembled one of the most talented farm systems in all of baseball. They will certainly part ways with some of their top prospects this summer for major league reinforcements. The fact is, Chicago currently only has one guaranteed year of Kyle Tucker, so it’s logical to assume Jed Hoyer would go all in to contend this season.
It’s uncertain how fractured the relationship between Devers and the Red Sox will become in the coming days. But one thing is for sure: a trade to Chicago would likely net both teams with the ammunition they need to become contenders. With an expiring contract on the horizon, it will be interesting to see how risky Hoyer is willing to get.
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