Red Sox’ Alex Cora addresses Rafael Devers’ willingness to play 1B for Giants

Manager Alex Cora said he did not watch Rafael Devers’ San Francisco Giants introductory press conference Tuesday.

“No,” Cora replied when he was asked here at T-Mobile Park before Boston’s game against the Mariners.

Devers said during the press conference that he would be willing to play first base — or wherever the Giants ask him to play.

Cora was asked his reaction to Devers saying he would play anywhere for San Francisco after he had refused to play first base when Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow asked him to try it out following Triston Casas’ season-ending injury.

“He’s with the Giants now,” Cora said. “Like I said, we have to turn the page. I’m turning the page, too.”

Devers was asked which position he would prefer to play.

“Like I said before, I am here to play wherever they want me to (play),” Devers said, “and give out my best.”

Giants manager Bob Melvin outlined the plan for Devers.

“We talked to him a little bit today, and like he said, he goes ‘I’ll play wherever you want me to play, I’ll hit wherever you want me to hit,’” Melvin said. “So that’s how it started. He’s going to DH today. He’s going to hit in the three spot. We’re going to work him in and get him some ground balls at first and make sure he’s comfortable before we put him over there. That’s pretty much the way we look at it right now: A little bit of DH and a little bit of first.”

Cora also refutes Devers-Campbell report

Cora also debunked a report from Yahoo! Sports that Devers was upset at rookie Kristian Campbell for volunteering to play first base.

“Kristian Campbell didn’t ask to play first base,” Cora said. “I talked with him about it and he was willing to try it.”

Yahoo! Sports wrote,“Devers was also upset when the rookie Campbell volunteered to play first base this season — interpreting it as a slight to his own stature."

“The first time I heard about that was this morning,” Cora said.