After what was described as a grade “A” offseason, the Boston Red Sox entered 2025 spring training with a new feeling of optimism. But at least some of the good vibes quickly dissipated when third baseman Rafael Devers — whose 10-year, $313.5 million contract makes him the franchise’s premier player — flatly refused to switch positions to make way for new free agent signing Alex Bregman.
Shortly thereafter, first baseman Triston Casas added to the turmoil by publicly taking sides with Devers over Bregman — and also declared that top-ranked Red Sox prospects Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell should not be called up to the big league club because “we’ve got some grown men up there right now.”
How to cool the controversy down? On Friday, veteran sports journalist Gethin Coolbaugh came up with a somewhat radical solution, in a column for Boston Sports Journal.
Coolbaugh’s answer: Trade Devers for four-time All-Star Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who appears likely to enter free agency after the 2025 season.
The trade idea may not be as outrageous as it seems on the surface. Longtime MLB insider journalist Jon Heyman, in a Thursday column, named the Red Sox as the most likely destination for Guerrero Jr. in free agency.
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“Instead of dreaming about Devers and Guerrero together, what about the notion of trading Devers for Guerrero?” Coolbaugh wrote. “From a baseball standpoint, it would be as close to a perfect, win-win trade for all involved. The Red Sox would replace their maybe disgruntled 28-year-old, $313 million superstar with another superstar who is three years younger — oh, and he isn’t owed $300 million (yet).”
Statistically, Devers and Guerrero Jr. are similar players. In terms of career OPS, the 25-year-old Guerrero has the edge over his counterpart, .863 to .856. Measured by Wins Above Replacement, on a per-162 game basis, Guerrero also has an advantage, though it totals less than 1.0 — 4.25 WAR per 162 games, to 3.72 for Devers.
Guerrero is owed $28.5 million on his one-year contract for 2025, but is reported by Heyman to be seeking a deal totaling at least $500 million in free agency. Devers is due to be paid $29.3 million in 2025, with eight years after that remaining on his contract.
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