The Chicago Cubs just lost free agent third baseman Alex Bregman to the Boston Red Sox, but they could end up getting a high-end third baseman from Boston anyway.
Recently, the Red Sox bagged Bregman with a 3-year, $120 million deal, edging out the second-place Bregman suitor Cubs for the right to place the Gold Glover at their hot corner.
However, the Red Sox already had a three-time all-star third baseman in Rafael Devers, who has held that spot since 2017– and, by all accounts, he’s not at all happy to give up his position for the incoming signee.
“No, I play third. It’s my decision…My position is third base,” Devers recently told Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. “Whatever it is they want to do is what they want to do. But my position is third base…I don’t know what their plans are. I know we had a conversation. I made it clear what my desires are. Whatever happens from here, I don’t know.”
Disharmony in Boston Opens Door To Cubs?
Initials thoughts were that Devers would move to DH and the better-fielding Bregman would take third. Some talked about Bregman possibly moving to second base and Devers staying at third, although it wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense to bring in a $40 million-per-year Gold Glover and have him play something other than his natural position.
The situation in Boston has created a significant amount of tension and has opened the door to the possibility of moving the 28-year-old Devers, who signed an 11-year, $331 million contract extension with the Red Sox in 2021.
So, in come the Cubs?
After losing out on Bregman, Chicago has rookie Matt Shaw tentatively penciled in as their starting third baseman. The 23-year-old prospect is held in high regard across the league and ranks as the team’s top prospect. But he IS 23 and no prospect is a guaranteed success.
Would Devers To The Cubs Make Sense?
Christopher Kline of Fansided has recently named the Cubs as one of the teams that should pursue a deal to bring Devers in.
Per Kline:
“The Chicago Cubs finally made an explosive addition this winter by trading for Kyle Tucker, which meaningfully moves the needle in a wide-open NL Central. After signing Tucker, however, the Cubs haggled over money and threatened arbitration, then did very little to build out the lineup around him.
For as great as Tucker is, Chicago sacrificed a pair of All-Star bats in Cody Bellinger and Isaac Paredes to facilitate his arrival. The Cubs were in the mix for Bregman, but ultimately cheaped out. That would’ve been the kind of move that convinces Tucker, a free agent next offseason, that Chicago is serious about contending. Instead, Chicago is left in a sort of competitive no-man’s land, with very clear roster holes negating what should have been a transformative offseason.
Trading for Devers would really cement the Cubs as serious NL contenders. It might also encourage Tucker to stick around beyond 2025. Third base is a weak point in Chicago’s depth chart, and the Cubs are equipped with plenty of elite defenders to help soften the downside of Devers on the field. Meanwhile, you’d struggle to find many more potent 1-2 offensive punches than Devers and Tucker at full strength. All of a sudden, the Cubs’ lineup can start to trade blows with the likes of Atlanta or Los Angeles.”
Devers is owed a lot of money over a long period of time, but he has proven himself as a hitter at the major league level and he would definitely provide a solution for a position currently riddled with question marks.
What The Chicago Cubs Would Have To Give Up For Devers
What would it cost to bring Devers to Chicago?
One might assume that it would take a bit of a haul for the Red Sox to deal the proven left-handed bat.
Boston has a question mark of their own at second base, with Vaughn Grissom and prospect Kristian Campbell competing for the job. They also could use some bullpen depth and outfield options.
The Cubs dealing reliable Gold Glove second baseman Nico Hoerner, along with outfield prospect Kevin Alcantara, and a major league-ready young arm like Jordan Wicks or Javier Assad might be enough, although Chicago might have to sweeten the pot even more.
Realistically, this is a long-shot of a trade proposal, But it’s something worth considering as both teams have issues swirling around that third base position.
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