The Boston Red Sox have 162 games to be worried about but one question keeps looming over them- what’s going on with the third base? That’s because ever since Rafael Devers has come out with a sharp “NO” on not wanting to move from third, that’s the only thing anyone can talk about.

It won’t be wrong to assume that Rafael Devers is almost painted as this villain for the franchise by the world now. Most question how a player who isn’t even great at third base, wants to keep that role. A player who is more self-centric than thinking about a team. Meanwhile, Bregman, the Gold Glove star, said he is open to a shift, making Devers look even more petty. But is it the full picture?

Well, it might be that this picture isn’t so black and white but rather gray indeed—at least according to Fenway Rundown podcast hosts Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam.

According to Chris Cotillo, the fan’s notion about Alex Bregman vs. Rafael Devers or the rumors about them being enemies or not getting along are untrue. What he does point out is that the real enemy is not Bregman but the franchise itself—Boston Red Sox. And even Sean McAdam doubled down on this.

McAdam mentioned, “I’m pretty certain that there is frustration that over the winter, [Rafael Devers] was repeatedly assured, ‘Oh, that stuff you’re reading about Arenado and Bregman? Nah, that’s just the media throwing stuff out there; we’re not doing that.’” So according to him, Boston just spun the wheels on Devers after assuring him that third base is his to keep and that Alex Bregman or Nolan Arenado posed no threat. Meanwhile, they were pursuing Bregman seriously all along. Back-biting is what he is meaning to say!

So right now it seems the animosity is not between the two players but between the team and Devers.

Craig Breslow’s comments hint at tension between Rafael Devers

Call it reading between the lines or not, but Cotillo believes that one of the proofs that all is not well between Rafael Devers and the team is –Craig Breslow’s comments. He told Sean McAdam in MassLive, “These things tend to have a way of working themselves out. This is not the first situation where a player has been outspoken about something that they take a lot of pride in. And that’s OK. Like I said, they tend to work themselves out.” The last line says it all, according to Cotillo.

“When people like Breslow and Cora diplomatically note that ‘these things tend to work themselves out,’ they’re basically saying that Devers will eventually play where they want him to play,” said Cotillo. So the basic meaning is they are the employers, and players just have to end up listening to them. But what does this mean for Rafael Devers? Anything can happen! Maybe Bregman can end up at second base and Devers at third.

Because mind you, Bregman has an opt-out in his contract, so the team might be cautious of moving Devers to second only for Bregman to up and leave. Such is the situation that even David Ortiz had to intervene. He told NESN that, “Hopefully, the organization and the players get to be on the same page, and the problem gets resolved by Opening Day. The most important thing is that everyone is happy.” Well, one thing is for sure—one of the two will end up not feeling so happy about the situation.

Who do you think will have to shift to 2B? A Gold Glove winner or someone who has been the team’s third baseman for a long time now? Let us know.