Red Sox contemplating using Devers, Dalbec at SS due to outbreak

The Boston Red Sox might have to get creative with defensive assignments due to a COVID-19 outbreak that's sidelined eight players, including four infielders.

Manager Alex Cora acknowledged that All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers could see time at shortstop with Xander Bogaerts, Enrique Hernandez, Christian Arroyo, and Yairo Munoz out for the foreseeable future.

"I saw him (Devers) take ground balls at short. He usually does anyway because he plays the shift there," Cora said, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI. "One thing that I battle with is that (if) something happens on a double play, or he makes the wrong move and something happens - if he is going to get beat up or hurt, I would rather have him at third base.

"But the fact that he is very athletic, he has good hands and good footwork, at some point we're going to have to make decisions."

Cora added that first baseman Bobby Dalbec is another internal option.

"The way we manage the game as a group, maybe that will be the case. Even Bobby, too. Bobby, he can move to short. We just have to be open-minded and be ready for what the game dictates," he said.

Devers has played just two career innings at short, while Dalbec has logged four.