FORT MYERS, Fla. — Rafael Devers is open to a long-term extension with the Red Sox but has not yet engaged in negotiations with the club, he said Saturday.
“I’m not really focused on that right now,” Devers said, through translator Bryan Almonte. “If it comes, it comes. That would be great. But I’m just focused on right now. We haven’t had discussions about that yet. My agent hasn’t told me anything. As of now, I’m just focused on playing the game.”
Devers, 23, will be arbitration-eligible for the first time after the season and is scheduled to hit free agency after 2023.
Though he’s under contract for four more seasons, the star third baseman is the kind of player the Red Sox would like to lock up, obtaining cost certainty and potentially extending their control over him by doing so.
AS THE RED SOX prepare for the likelihood of using openers to fill out their rotation this season, they’ll get a crash course from one of the leading experts in the field.
New Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom spent the last 15 years with the Rays, who first introduced the concept back in 2018 and have employed it successfully over the last two seasons.
He’ll hope to impart some knowledge on his coaching staff, during a seminar on the topic Sunday at Fenway South.
“He’s obviously familiar with it, so as a staff he’s going to address us,” said interim manager Ron Roenicke.
SATURDAY’S GAME
YANKEES 5, RED SOX 2: Eduardo Rodriguez pitched three innings, allowing two hits, while striking out six and walking none in his first start of spring training, in Fort Myers, Florida.
The Yankees scored three runs, including two on an error by Christian Vazquez, in the fifth inning to take a 4-2 lead.
Jose Peraza had two hits, including a double for the Red Sox.
Gio Urshela scored twice for the Yankees.
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