And the drama continues… The Boston Red Sox entered the 2025 season with high hopes, despite all the free agency chaos. Now, with a backdrop of key player injuries, star slugger Rafael Devers went through an unexpected and historic slump at the plate. Of course, that again brought up the conversation of his controversial position change. Cardinals legend Albert Pujols commented on the situation, pointing out the Red Sox’s handling of their powerful hitter.

Following an Opening Day victory against the Texas Rangers, Boston lost three consecutive games. And Rafael Devers, who moved over to designated hitter after Alex Bregman arrived, had a particularly rough opening. So far in the season, he has only had 3 hits in 27 at-bats, with 16 strikeouts. And well, he has set a record in the major league!

This slump caught the attention of none other than Cardinals great Albert Pujols. Pujols hinted that the problem goes beyond a slow start. And he wondered about whether Devers got enough time to prepare for his new role, especially given his lack of spring training action. “I think when you take 15 at-bats… in spring training myself, I used to take 70 at-bats… to get myself ready for the season.”

Pujols directly linked this lack of readiness to the visible struggles, adding, “I believe he didn’t play much in spring training. And you saw in the first couple of weeks… how he struggled.”

As per Albert Pujols, the Red Sox could’ve handled the Devers-Bregman situation a little better, making the 28-year-old understand “it’s not about the player, it’s about the organization.” But it was not all disappointing as Pujols believes that with enough practice, Devers and the team are going to be okay!

This entire perspective has given a different POV from what Alex Cora said! According to the Red Sox Skipper, Raffy is in a “bad spot mechanically,” and not getting enough spring training is just an excuse! He even compared the situation with Wilyer Abreu, who apparently couldn’t train enough but hit two homers in the team’s opening day game.

But let’s be fair for a moment here! The three-time All-Star did have a stressful offseason. And probably, he didn’t get enough time to settle everything in. “At the end of the day, they’re an organization. They pretty much own you; they do whatever they want!” exclaimed a disheartened Pujols. Is that true? Did the Red Sox really not come to Rafael Devers and have a conversation? Well, we might never know, for sure!

On the bright side, though, going by the record, Devers always owns his slumps. In previous seasons, he got frustrated with himself at a point: “I’m not happy with the way that I’m performing … I know that I can give way more.”

And with Devers going a bit under the weather, how is the rest of the team doing?

Devers’ offensive dip amidst shifting roles and team challenges

The offensive firepower of Alex Bregman has been key for the team. Bregman has at least one hit in five of the six wins, driving in important runs. Also, rookie Kristian Campbell has shown his competence early on. Campbell hit his first major league home run against Texas and has even gotten a timely hit or two during the streak, showing the team can get production from multiple spots in the lineup even while their primary slugger struggles through his troubles.

Baseball history is filled with position changes caused by defensive needs. Hall of Famer Edgar Martínez switched from third base and became an iconic designated hitter for Seattle. Alex Rodriguez shifted from shortstop to third base when he came to the Yankees. Cal Ripken Jr. switched from short to third late in his career, too. These moves are often about maximizing offensive value within the constraints of defensive limitations. Adaptability and clear communication between the player and the organization often go a long way.

Boston could try that now with Rafael Devers, if not already done! Don’t you think?

Because the Red Sox are going through challenges beyond Devers’ bat. Injuries have hurt key pitchers like Lucas Giolito and possibly Kutter Crawford. Offseason pickup Vaughn Grissom has slugged through hamstring woes; Masataka Yoshida began the season on the injured list. The team also missed out on some top free agents because of their slightly smaller payroll than last year.

And now, some are even questioning whether Boston would have a chance in the ever-so-competitive AL East.

But despite the rocky start and external criticism, there is still hope. Red Sox history has been filled with epic turnarounds and resilient teams, World Series winners of 2004 and 2013. And one thing we know for sure: Rafael Devers has immense talent. The season is long. So, if Devers rediscovers his form, the entire narrative will shift, just like the positions! And we cannot wait to experience that!