No Anthony Rizzo-to-Boston rumors, despite Rafael Devers' ongoing Red Sox drama

Longtime Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo remains unsigned, and with each passing day, the odds of him getting a big-league job fall a little more. After the Boston Red Sox lost Triston Casas for the year and their superstar slugger Rafael Devers refused to move to first base after moving from third to full-time DH duties this spring, it seemed like Rizzo would be a perfect solution.

However, according to the latest reports, a reunion between the two sides does not 'seem to be in play' at this time

Rizzo spent the last three-and-a-half years with the New York Yankees, but his production really tailed off toward the end of his tenure. A 2023 concussion seemed to be a primary culprit in his downward spiral - and an insistence on being paid well above the league minimum this offseason prevented him from finding a new team.

Since suffering that concussion, Rizzo has been about 30 percent worse than league average at the plate and his once-elite defense isn't what it once was, either, according to multiple metrics. Set to turn 36 later this summer, few teams expressed interest last winter, and the dollars were never there - so he remains unsigned.

Red Sox, Rafael Devers situation grows worse with each passing day

As for the Red Sox, they're in an unenviable position. After winning the late-offseason Alex Bregman sweepstakes, they pushed their longtime third baseman off his position, which rocked the boat right away. Things seemed to have calmed down, with Bregman putting up big-time numbers and Devers shaking off a slow start and posting an OPS north of 1.100 over the last 14 days.

But when Casas went down and Boston approached Devers about playing first, the three-time All-Star balked and things grew so contentious that Red Sox owner John Henry flew to meet Devers in person, along with Craig Breslow and team president Sam Kennedy, ahead of the team's game in Kansas City. Details have been scarce about that sitdown, but Breslow called itIn 'an honest conversation'.

In the meantime, the Red Sox are relying on a pair of utility bench players to cover first in Abraham Toro and Romy Gonzalez, neither of whom has a resume worthy of being a starter on a team with postseason aspirations. Gonzalez left a recent game with a back injury, further complicating the situation for Boston.

The fit is undeniable - and maybe things get so bad they have no choice but to pony up and bring Rizzo in for the year. Already over the CBT, the Red Sox would pay a 20% tax on top of his salary, which is something to monitor. There's even been speculation Boston might trade Devers - so, suffice to say, this story has a lot of moving parts. But, for now, there are no signs Rizzo is poised to return to the organization that drafted him back in 2007.