The Red Sox traded Rafael Devers to the Giants, ending a baffling six-month saga between the team and player.
In the most shocking move of the season, the Boston Red Sox traded 3B/DH Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants. Robert Murray of FanSided broke the news minutes before the Giants started their Sunday night game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Red Sox are receiving MLB swingmen Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks, alongside top prospect OF James Tibbs and low-level flier SP Jose Bello. Plus, the Giants will pay the remainder of Devers’ contract.
This is an abrupt end to Devers’ decorated tenure in Boston, where he won a World Series, two Silver Sluggers, made three All-Star teams, and earned MVP votes in five different years. The young man with a pudgy face and unique swing blossomed into a recognizable superstar, anchoring a Red Sox lineup that waxed and waned in quality around him. But even though the BoSox haven’t been to the playoffs since 2021, Devers always brought fans to Fenway Park and had plenty of memorable moments.
No one would confuse Devers the hitter for Devers the defender, though, and his subpar play in the field sparked an organizational decision and MLB’s biggest saga of 2025. It was only in January of 2023 that the Sox gave Devers $331 million to stay long term. How did the Red Sox go from extending their face of the franchise to trading him in just two years? Let’s go over this off-putting series of events and what it means for Devers as well as both teams involved.
The Long and Winding 2025
We are only in June, but 2025 has fit 12 months’ worth of news and drama into less than six. The Red Sox signed 3B Alex Bregman in February after months of rumors they would acquire a third baseman. They could have traded for 3B Nolan Arenado but signing Bregman only cost money. Unlike Devers, Bregman is a strong defender, so placing him at third was a huge upgrade to an infield defense that really needed it (and still does).
Apparently, Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow told Devers then that he would DH the whole season and would not need his glove. Devers, at first, was not happy about that but came around and accepted being a full-time DH. That worked well enough for a month, until 1B Triston Casas suffered a season-ending injury running the bases. The front office asked Devers at that point to start taking grounders at first base, and he outright refused. Devers felt it was unfair of them to reverse course so soon after telling him not to bring a glove to the clubhouse. The airing of grievances led to principal owner John Henry flying to the team on the road to speak with Devers face to face.
By May, both sides looked bad in public due to the front office’s poor communication and Devers’ unwillingness to help the team. Things worsened even further in late May when Bregman got seriously hurt and will be out for weeks. That should have solved everything because Devers could have returned to his beloved hot corner, but instead the coaching staff didn’t even broach the topic. Devers simply stayed at DH while the lineup featured replacement players. (To be fair, 1B Romy Gonzalez and 3B Abraham Toro have hit much better than expected).
Was This Necessary?
I skipped over one piece of the timeline last section, because it happened in 2023. The Red Sox fired Chaim Bloom as CBO, the man who signed Devers to the extension. Bloom is the one who promised Devers he would stay at third and the one who overpaid for OF Masataka Yoshida. My main takeaway from yesterday’s trade is that Breslow simply values players significantly differently than Bloom did. The new man places more emphasis on defense while reaping from the excellent farm system that Bloom sowed.
From an outsider’s perspective, it seems like the current front office, unlike the fan base, doesn’t view Devers as the star worthy of a large contract. And unlike the New York Mets, they don’t have much patience for a poor defender who sometimes doesn’t hustle. And unlike the OF Mookie Betts trade, this move doesn’t seem to be driven by ownership. Rather, the front office is pursuing financial flexibility and deep projection prospects instead of beefing up for a playoff run. Breslow could be building around Devers, but instead he is planning for the future in a city that cannot stand punting on current seasons. The Red Sox were coming off their best weekend of the season by sweeping the New York Yankees and inching over .500. But on the same day, they moved on from the last player of the 2018 world champions.
From a competitive standpoint, Boston decided to trade their full-time DH instead of a young outfielder to clear a playing time logjam. They are also making a big bet on Harrison, who just last year was one of the top pitching prospects in the sport. Hicks should go straight to the bullpen after mostly failing as a starter. Tibbs and Bello won’t be in MLB for a long time.
A Splash Hit
The Giants, meanwhile, have a much simpler calculation. They needed a superstar hitter, and they got one. San Francisco is playing much better than expected, and they absolutely should make a playoff push. But the overperformance has mostly come from a dominant bullpen while the offense has been mediocre. Trading for a middle-of-the-order force is a great solution, especially when they only give up luxury spare parts. After falling short in pursuit of other big names, the Giants needed a true star, and they can clearly afford one.
The Giants are assuming over $250 million, which is no small amount but reasonable by today’s standards. They will have to accept the last few years will be bleak, but every team knows that when adding someone long term. The Giants, who have been stuck in the middle for three years, have the rare opportunity to compete with the Dodgers. Adding Devers in 2025 is worth more than the return in 2027, and the team might not be good then. Postseason runs are precious, and the Giants are capitalizing on one while the Sox are shrugging it off.
Oracle Park is more pitcher friendly than Fenway, but it might actually help Devers. He is losing the Monster, but he gains a shallower right field. If he changes nothing, he should hit a few more homers, and if he pulls more often, he could get to 40 in a season. The Giants might want him at first, but let him rake at DH, at least for this year.
Buster Posey put his amazing reputation on the line by becoming the new PBO. His transactions make it clear he isn’t easing into the job. He is being aggressive to win, which is all fans can ask for. Craig Breslow cannot say the same thing.
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