‘Raffy is our third baseman’: Red Sox CBO Craig Breslow addresses the team’s third base plan

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One narrative floating around the Red Sox this offseason has been the potential of moving Rafael Devers off the hot corner and over to first base.

Boston has reportedly shopped first baseman Triston Casas in an attempt to acquire an ace for the top of their rotation. With the possibility of moving Casas, speculation ran rampant on social media that the Sox could move Devers to first base and sign Alex Bregman or trade for the Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado.

“Raffy is our third baseman,” Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said to reporters on Monday afternoon. “He’s having a really productive offseason. Saw him a couple of weeks ago. Looks great. Feels great. “We’re really optimistic about what we’re going to get out of him. He’s talked about coming to Fort Myers early this year and really focusing on getting himself ready to have a great season.

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“With that said, we’ll be open-minded, and we’ll be creative in terms of how we put together the best roster, but as things stand right now, Raffy is our third baseman.”

The club needs to replace the production they’ll lose after Tyler O’Neill signed with the Orioles this offseason. Outside the possibility of trading for Arenado or signing Bregman, Boston has been connected to outfielders Randal Grichuk, Anthony Santander, and Jurickson Profar and could deal for Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki.

Breslow has indicated the club is aiming high to add a right-handed hitter.

“In a perfect world. We’re getting elite-level production from a right-handed bat out of the middle of the lineup,” he said. “I think it stretches out the lineup. It balances out guys like Jarren and Raffy and Triston and Masa and others.

“I also think that production could come from a number of places. There are guys internally that may be able to take a step forward, and we’re certainly also engaged in conversations for players that aren’t yet in the organization.”

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Breslow wouldn’t address whether the Red Sox were pursuing free agent Alex Bregman, who the club has been connected to this winter. It’s looking increasingly likely Bregman could land in the Motor City and play for the Tigers next season and beyond.

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“I think there’s a number of paths that could take,” he said. “Obviously, infield, there are some opportunities. I think positional versatility will help us, the ability to play the outfield a bit. It’s hard to narrowly typecast. I think we’ll be open-minded. Ultimately, what we’re after is just an improvement to the roster. That could take a number of forms.

“Right-handed bats that we feel could play well at our park are certainly of interest to us,” Breslow said,” and we remain engaged on a number of fronts.”

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