The situation for the Boston Red Sox isn’t exactly favorable, as the uproar over Rafael Devers’ remarks about manning first base has been overshadowed by a series of painful defeats. The Red Sox suffered a crushing 14-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Monday night and then endured a heart-breaking 10-9 loss in 11 innings on Tuesday, courtesy of a walk-off home run by Javier Báez.

Despite their struggles, the Red Sox need to address their long-term first base dilemma. Devers is unwilling, and options like Abraham Toro, Nick Sogard, and Romy González lack the power needed for such a bat-centric role. Therefore, if Devers is indeed out of the picture, the answer likely lies outside the organization.

Although established first basemen such as Nathaniel Lowe and Ryan Mountcastle might be available for trade this summer, one baseball analyst suggests the Red Sox consider an overlooked young slugger. On Wednesday, Joel Reuter from Athlon proposed that the Red Sox should target Houston Astros’ Triple-A corner infielder Shay Whitcomb as a trade prospect and potential first base solution.

Reuter highlighted Whitcomb’s impressive minor league stats, noting his 2023 performance with 35 home runs, 102 RBIs, and 20 steals over 133 games between Double-A and Triple-A, and a 2024 season with a .909 OPS, 25 home runs, and 91 RBIs in 108 games at Triple-A Sugar Land. Whitcomb’s versatility includes starts at first base, shortstop, third base, left field, right field, and designated hitter, making him a low-risk option with more offensive potential than the current candidates.

Whitcomb continues to excel in Triple-A this year, posting a .267/.355/.573 slash line with nine homers. However, it’s essential to consider that the Pacific Coast League, where he has played over 200 minor-league games, is known for its hitter-friendly conditions. Pursuing Whitcomb would be a bold move for the Red Sox, but sometimes, taking a big chance yields the most rewarding results.