As things stand, the Chicago Cubs don’t have an immediate need for a third baseman. Top prospect Matt Shaw is poised to make his debut, while veteran Justin Turner provides a platoon option or even a potential starting role, depending on how the team views him. However, prioritizing Turner over Shaw for everyday at-bats would be a questionable choice given Turner’s stage in his career.
Looking at recent moves, Cubs president Jed Hoyer took necessary steps this offseason, but there were indications that his job could have been in jeopardy if the team underperformed. If the Cubs struggle again in 2025, he may not return. That urgency could push the Cubs to make a major move, and one intriguing possibility is Rafael Devers—if the Boston Red Sox decide to shake things up.
Devers recently addressed concerns about playing third base alongside Alex Bregman, prompting Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report to explore potential trade packages for interested teams. For the Cubs, Rymer proposed sending Seiya Suzuki and Moises Ballesteros to Boston.
“You can’t fault Bregman for saying no, whereas you can fault the Cubs for pivoting to Justin Turner. He was a third baseman once upon a time, but he’s now 40 years old and strictly a 1B/DH type. Devers is thus a better roster fit for the Cubs, and this trade would see him swapped for a player who doesn’t fit them so well anymore. That is Suzuki, whose status as the de facto DH is potentially an awkward one,” Rymer wrote.
From the Cubs’ perspective, acquiring Devers in such a deal would be a major win. However, for the Red Sox, accepting an inconsistent outfielder and an unproven prospect in exchange for one of the league’s top talents wouldn’t align with their goal of remaining competitive.