Since the injury to Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas, there have been a myriad of lineup shuffles, potential signings, and downright insanity that has sprouted up across Red Sox nation. The problem is a simple one: Who is playing first base for the Red Sox?
To get the simplest solution out of the way, despite the organization’s determination to flood every top 100 prospect ranking, there is no highly ranked prospect in the Red Sox system who plays first base. No, Marcelo Mayer will not play first. No, Roman Anthony will certainly not play first. But that does not mean that one of those top prospects can’t find their way to the big league roster as a result of Casas’ injury.
The other solution that seems to make the most sense logistically would be to move Rafael Devers from DH to first base, and allow the all-but-forgotten Masataka Yoshida to take over the designated hitting duties. Red Sox manager Alex Cora already shut down this possibility on Tuesday before the Red Sox’s game against the Texas Rangers. “Have you had any conversation with (Devers) about –” Chris Cotillo of MassLive began to ask, before Cora interjected with a firm “No.” Cotillo finished his question and was met with another “No.”
If there was ever an opportunity to put Devers back on the field, this would be it. It’s now safe to assume the team’s decision to move Devers to full-time DH is a permanent one. Still, there is a means of shuffling the current roster that seemingly checks every box without putting Rafael Devers in the field.
Trevor Story has long been hailed for his defense at shortstop — and rightfully so. Even after his elbow surgery in January 2023, Story returned to form in the final weeks of the 2023 season, and the start of the 2024 season before needing shoulder surgery. Through the first 35 games of this season, Trevor Story has minus-1 Defensive Runs Saved, a minus-1 Statcast Range Rating, and minus-1 Outs Above Average, placing him 16th of 25 qualified shortstops in MLB. His arm strength now ranks in the 47th percentile. The 32-year-old is, by all metrics, a below-average fielder. The transition to first base seems like a natural one for an experienced infielder who has seen a decline in range and arm strength, and who also has a history of injuries in the field.
Moving Story to first base also opens the shortstop position for Baseball America’s No. 9 prospect in baseball: Marcelo Mayer. Through 28 games in AAA Worcester, Mayer is slashing .267/.326/.483 and an OPS of .808 with seven homers and 34 RBI. The transition from short to first may seem to those on the outside as a demotion. But the truth is that the Red Sox have a better defensive, and offensive, shortstop in the waiting. Story has received as much praise for his defense over the years as his leadership and team mentality. This may be a move that requires a team-first mentality as the Red Sox have an opportunity to field a better all-around team than they are right now.
