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Spring training brought us the Rafael Devers third base debate. It appears that only two months later, we'll now be embroiled in the Rafael Devers first base debate.
The Boston Red Sox signed Gold Glove thirdr baseman Alex Bregman in February, causing them to move Devers off his preferred position. He's now the full-time designated hitter, a role he seems to be warming up to after it obviously bothered him at first.
However, now that first baseman Triston Casas is out for the season, there's been plenty of speculation that Devers could make the transition to first base. His manager, though, is shutting it down at every possible opportunity.
After Red Sox skipper Alex Cora initially balked at the thought of Devers playing first base over the weekend, he was asked anew on Tuesday. And Cora made it very clear that it wasn't anywhere near his agenda at the moment.
Here was the full exchange between MassLive's Chris Cotillo and Cora, provided by NESN's Tom Caron on X (formerly Twitter):
Cotillo: “We talked about the Raffy first base thing the other day. Have you had any conversations with him about it?”
Cora: “No.”
Cotillo: “Do you plan to?”
Cora: “No.”
There's not a lot of wiggle room there. Romy González and Triple-A call-up Abraham Toro, who was scheduled to be the starter in Tuesday night's game against the Texas Rangers, will have a chance to split time at the position for now, even if those outside the organization think there's a better option.
"Around the world, a lot of people,“ Cora quipped when asked if there had been volunteers to play the position, per Cotillo. ”Getting texts and messages and all that.
“We’re staying the course. We’ve got these two guys here. Toro is starting today. Romy has done an amazing job in his starts over there. We’ll keep going that way.”
Staying the course is fine if the course is working. But things are going to get loud if this team with playoff aspirations has a pair of players who look like bench guys out there splitting time at an offense-first position.
Right now, it's opportunity time for Toro and González. But it still seems like Devers could change the whole picture if he asked to get back on the diamond.
More must-reads:
- Yankees eyeing Rockies one-time All-Star as backup plan at third base
- Four teams that should be sellers at the trade deadline
- The 'Multiple 100-RBI MLB seasons' quiz
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Yankees-Cardinals Deal? Trade Deadline Rumors Heating Up
Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter recently discussed some of the top names available at the trade deadline. One of the names Reuter discussed was St. Louis Cardinals reliever Phil Maton. With Maton sitting on an expiring contract, it seems quite likely he's traded away. "Few pitchers have done a better job limiting hard contact this season than Maton, who ranks among the MLB leaders in hard-hit rate allowed (97th percentile), average exit velocity allowed (100th percentile) and barrel rate allowed (97th percentile)," Reuter wrote. "The 32-year-old has a 2.48 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 11.6 K/9 with 18 holds in 38 games." The Cardinals were reportedly the only team that had interest in Maton as a free agent in the offseason, but now, a lot of contenders will likely go after him on the trade block. One of the team's that would be a perfect fit for Maton is the New York Yankees. The Yankees are bound to be quite aggressive at the trade deadline, and they need to add an arm to the bullpen. While it would be fun for the Yankees to chase a name like Ryan Helsley or Emmanuel Clase, it's more likely they'll use their top prospects to trade for a third baseman and a starting pitcher. That means the Cardinals could ship Maton to the Bronx in exchange for one or two mid-level prospects at the deadline. This would work for St. Louis, who is not going to contend for the World Series this season either way. It would also work for the Yankees, who could add to their bullpen in an affordable way, while saving the top prospects to be traded in the bigger deals.
Pelicans' exec makes team's stance on Zion Williamson crystal clear
It’s wild how quickly the NBA narrative can flip. A year ago, Zion Williamson was in every trade rumor possible. People were questioning his health, his work ethic, even his future in New Orleans. And the Pelicans? They didn’t really deny any of it. It felt like both sides were one step away from walking. But things have shifted this offseason — quietly, but clearly. The Pelicans could’ve pulled the plug. Zion’s contract gave them outs, and the trade market might’ve still brought back some real value. Instead, they stuck with him. And based on what one of their own just said, they’re not just keeping him around — they’re still betting big on him. In a recent interview with Spotrac’s Keith Smith, an anonymous Pelicans executive made it crystal clear. “Zion is still our guy. We’re all in on him. We think he’s going to have a huge year. We’ve had some bad injury luck and some things that just haven’t worked out. This partnership hasn’t even come close to reaching our best yet.” That’s not something you say if you’re halfway in. They backed it up with their offseason moves, too. They traded CJ McCollum and brought in Jordan Poole, a high-usage creator who can take pressure off Zion. They drafted Jeremiah Fears with the No. 7 pick, a dynamic young guard. They added Kevon Looney, a reliable veteran who brings playoff experience and toughness. Those aren’t tear-it-down moves — those are “let’s try this another way” moves. Of course, Zion’s health is still the question. That never really goes away. He played just 30 games last season, but in those games he looked solid: 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per night on 56.7 percent shooting. The explosiveness was there. The playmaking was sharp. And the hope for New Orleans is that this time, he can finally sustain it. What’s interesting is how the front office is trying to create a better environment around him. Joe Dumars has stepped in to lead basketball operations and is reportedly building a closer relationship with Zion — dinners, real conversations, not just surface-level stuff. It feels like, for once, the team is trying to meet him halfway. It’s a risk, sure. But it’s a calculated one. The West is brutal and the margin for error is thin. Still, if Zion can stay healthy for 60 games, and if Poole finds a rhythm and guys like Trey Murphy and Herb Jones keep improving — this team has a shot to be in the mix. The quote from the exec says it all. They could’ve hit reset, moved on, cleaned house. But they didn’t. They’re still in. And now it’s on Zion to hold up his end of the deal. After everything that’s happened, they’re telling the world they still believe. Now it’s time to find out if they’re right.
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb sends strong message after tempers flare at training camp
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb reminded teammates to keep their cool after the team had multiple skirmishes during the first two days of training camp. Rookie defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku and tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford got involved in a brief scuffle on Tuesday. At the following practice on Wednesday, a fight broke out between safety Markquese Bell and TE Tyler Neville. New head coach Brian Schottenheimer then stopped practice and pulled the whole team together. He said the next player who threw a punch would be kicked out of practice (via Joseph Hoyt of The Dallas Morning News). "We've got to be professional," Lamb said of the incident after practice, per ESPN's Todd Archer. "I get it that we have a lot of animosity and tension between us and understanding that we want to proclaim our dominance and show like aggressiveness on both sides of the ball, but then again, to what extent?" Fighting in training camp isn't uncommon. It's an intense environment. Many are trying to prove themselves before teams trim their rosters to 53 players. However, too much brawling can threaten to tear a locker room apart. A lack of discipline was also one reason the Cowboys replaced Mike McCarthy with Schottenheimer this offseason. According to NFLPenalties.com, Dallas drew the league's sixth-most flags (128) last season. Per Archer, there were no more fights after Schottenheimer pulled the team aside. Still, the incidents raise questions about his ability to maintain control. The coach spent Wednesday morning's meeting discussing two plays where DE Sam Williams was too physical and sent to the sideline. His players must not have received the message. It's good for Dallas that Lamb seems to be echoing Schottenheimer's sentiments, but the rookie HC still must get through to his team. Rebounding from a 7-10 season could already prove challenging for the Cowboys. As of Wednesday, ESPN's Football Power Index gives Dallas a 34.5% chance to make the playoffs. Infighting will make that even more difficult.
These Two Raiders' Relationship Got Off to a Rocky Start
Over the offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders have emphasized the importance of growing closer as a team. The Raiders have taken steps on and off the field to help cultivate a more competitive and team-oriented environment. It appears to be working. The bond between Maxx Crosby and Jackson Powers-Johnson has been evident to teammates and coaches, as the two often collaborate to improve their respective skill sets. Crosby is the leader of the team, and Powers-Johnson has quickly developed into a leader on the offensive side of the ball. Both players mutually respect the other's game, but although they are close friends now, Crosby noted it was not always that way. "Yeah, it's funny. It's something, like to be 100% real, like last year, I mean me and Jackson did not have a great relationship," Crosby said. "I'm hard on guys, especially young dudes. Like, there's respect that's got to be earned when you come into this league, in this locker room, especially. Like, there's a certain standard I expect from the guys, and he did a lot - like the amount of growth he's had in the last year has been unbelievable. If I were sitting here a year ago and you would have told me all the stuff he did this offseason to get himself in this position he's in, I truly wouldn't believe you, but that's the beauty in this game. After spending last season at guard and center, Powers-Johnson entered the offseason programs as the team's starting center. Powers-Johnson is expected to develop into one of the Raiders' most dependable offensive linemen. After the second day of training camp, Powers-Johnson elaborated on Crosby's words from the day before. "I mean, coming in, I had a lot of rough trials. I missed a little training camp, missed a little bit of Organized Team Activities. I came in not proven, so in his eyes, I look at and see, 'Oh here's a second-round pick who hasn't really proved anything.' And then I ended up proving a little bit in-season, a little bit of my work, and really putting in a lot of work in the offseason with him," Powers-Johnson said. "I mean, you got to think of it -- you're not just going to meet a girl and she's going to love you right away. You got to take her out to dinner a couple of times, meet her parents, and then maybe she'll love you. So I just had to put in the work." Find us on X (formerly Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and Instagram @HondoSr and weigh in on this take. While here, check out our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE to discuss this take
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