Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Wednesday that newly acquired free agent Alex Bregman will play third base this season, with incumbent Rafael Devers moving to designated hitter.

“We all are in the winning business, and he understands that,” Cora told WEEI-AM. “It’s like everything, right: You don’t have to agree with it, but at the end of the day what are we going to go out there and perform every single day.”

Devers has developed into one of the top hitters in the American League over the past seven-plus seasons, batting .279 with 200 home runs and 638 RBIs while earning three All-Star selections and picking up MVP votes five times. While the Red Sox refused to make a long-term commitment to homegrown stars Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts, they signed Devers before the 2023 season to a 10-year, $313.5 million deal.

But Devers has struggled at third base, where he has played almost 1,000 games, leading the league in errors at the position seven years in a row. When the team signed Bregman — the reigning Gold Glover winner at the position — this spring, Devers said: “Third base is my position.”

“We had conversations throughout spring training, and he was very vocal about how he felt,” Cora told the radio station. “We made a decision: Alex is going to play third, Raffy’s going to DH.”

Raliegh, Mariners agree to $105M deal

Catcher Cal Raleigh and the Seattle Mariners finalized a $105 million, six-year contract on Wednesday.

Raleigh’s deal supersedes a $5.6 million, one-year agreement on Jan. 9 that avoided salary arbitration.

He gets a $10 million signing bonus payable upon the contract’s approval by the commissioner’s office and salaries of $1 million this year, $11 million in 2027, $12 million in 2028 and $23 million in each of the following three seasons.

Raleigh set career highs last year with 34 homers and 100 RBIs while hitting .220.

Miscellaneous

The Arizona Diamondbacks signed left-hander Jalen Beeks to a $1.25 million, one-year deal and selected the contract of veteran righty Shelby Miller on Wednesday as they worked to solidify their bullpen before Opening Day. ... The Marlins acquired right-handed pitcher Tyler Phillips from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for cash. Phillips, 27, went 4-1 with a 6.87 ERA, 28 strikeouts and seven walks in 2024.