Should Boston Red Sox star Rafael Devers swallow his discontent and play first base?

The Athletic’s Jim Bowden certainly thinks so.

On Wednesday, Bowden asserted that the best path forward is for Devers to embrace first base.

Bowden outlined why this move benefits both Devers and the team. “I’ve been surprised by Devers’ reactions every time he’s been asked to change positions,” Bowden wrote. “When he signed a 10-year, $313.5 million deal with Boston in 2023, there was nothing in the contract that stipulated he would play third base or any other position.”

Bowden acknowledged that the Red Sox haven’t always handled the Devers situation perfectly.

“In fairness to Devers, I understood when the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman at the start of spring training and he preferred not to switch from third base to DH,” Bowden wrote.

“Boston did not handle the position change well due to a lack of communication. I thought the right play at the time was to move Devers to first base, but the Red Sox wanted to give Triston Casas more runway there. When Casas suffered a season-ending knee injury and the Red Sox broached the idea of moving Devers to first base, I thought he’d be elated.”

Bowden sees Devers as Boston’s long-term solution at first base, a move that would also open the designated hitter role for top prospect Roman Anthony.

“Any team player could see that the Red Sox don’t have a better option at first base,” Bowden wrote. “(Devers) should understand this will be better for him and the team in the short and long term.”

It’s hard to argue with Bowden’s assessment of the situation, but that doesn’t mean Devers will change his tune anytime soon.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora still has work to do to sort through the mess.

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