Blockbuster Trade: Red Sox Send All‑Star Slugger Rafael Devers to Giants
Boston Red Sox have shipped three‑time All‑Star third baseman/designated hitter Rafael Devers (28) to the San Francisco Giants in a stunning mid-June deal .
🧢 What the Red Sox Received:
RHP Jordan Hicks – veteran power arm, currently struggling with a 6.47 ERA in 48â…” innings Â
LHP Kyle Harrison – former top prospect, showing promise with a 4.56 ERA over 23â…” innings Â
OF James Tibbs III – Giants’ No.4 prospect, with 14 homers in High-A Â
RHP JosĂ© Bello – rookie‑ball pitcher with a stellar 2.00 ERA Â
The trade was finalized just five days before the two teams begin a three‑game series in San Francisco .
đź’Ą The Bigger Picture: Power + Pride, and a Rocky Exit
Devers, inherited from Boston’s 2018 World Series run, was batting .272 with 15 homers and 58 RBIs over 73 games in 2025 .
He’s under a 10‑year, $313.5 M contract, and the Giants will assume the remaining $250 M+ through 2033 .
A source emphasized that no team has ever moved a 10‑year deal so early—just two years in—making this a rare and bold move .
Boston’s hand appears forced: Devers refused position switches—first to DH after bringing in Bregman, then to first base post‑injury—sparking internal strife.
🔥 Giants’ Gambit: A Power Boost in the NL West
The Giants add arguably the most powerful left‑handed hitter since Barry Bonds to a lineup lacking in pop .
Manager Bob Melvin praised the fit: “A power left‑hands bat … tailor‑made for us” .
Shortstop Willy Adames, mic’d during ESPN’s broadcast, said the deal “sends a message … we’ll do whatever it takes to win the division” .
Dodgers’ legend Clayton Kershaw—rival yet impressed—called Devers “one of the top 10 hitters … a game‑changer” .
Giants, currently 2 games back in the NL West, have boosted offense right in time for a pivotal divisional push.
⚠️ Risk & Reward: Positional Puzzle & Big Money
With Matt Chapman on the injured list at third base, Devers may begin as a DH or even fill in at first—an echo of Boston’s showdown.
The Giants are betting that a new environment cures the disgruntlement that plagued Devers in Boston .
But paying the full long-term contract and managing playing‑time/position expectations will be a tightrope test.
🚨 Fan Fallout & Baseball Fallout
Red Sox fans erupted, comparing this to the Mookie Betts trade and accusing ownership of deprioritizing baseball, especially as Fenway reallocated millions to soccer.
MLB analysts criticized the deal as a sign of mismanagement: Devers was “the most consistent hitter … Boston’s only proven winner,” and internal tensions forced their hand.
Internally, execs are shocked—few saw a trade for a contract still in year two coming from a storied franchise .
📅 What’s Next
Giants debut Devers in their lineup on Friday, launching with a three-game set against the Red Sox in San Francisco .
Boston sends its new arms—Hicks and Harrison—to breathe life into a pitching staff that has lagged.
The wider NL West race just got hotter, with San Francisco showing serious intent in free agency and trade, and first‑place Dodgers now standing on notice.
Boston has cashed in on a fractured superstar for pitching depth, while San Francisco has swung for the fences, staking its playoff hopes on Rafael Devers’ bat—and character—being reinvigorated at Oracle Park.
