The trade: The San Francisco Giants have acquired designated hitter Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison, right-handed pitcher Jordan Hicks, outfield prospect James Tibbs, and minor league right-hander Jose Bello.
It’s uncommon to witness an unexpected trade involving one of baseball’s elite hitters, and it’s even more unusual for it to occur in mid-June while both teams are vying for playoff positions. Considering the challenges Devers and the Red Sox have faced this season—his initial frustration at being moved from third base when Alex Bregman was signed, followed by his reluctance to transition to first base after Triston Casas’ injury—it might not be as shocking as it seems at first glance.
The Red Sox have a history of making contentious decisions, having traded Mookie Betts back in 2020, but this particular move is bound to spark lively debates on social media, generating enough hot takes to clear the late summer haze over San Francisco.
Now, let’s evaluate this trade.
San Francisco Giants: The implications of this trade are clear for the Giants and their new top executive Buster Posey: they have acquired their strongest hitter since Posey’s prime and definitely their most formidable power hitter since Barry Bonds, the last Giants player to reach 30 home runs in 2004—a milestone Devers has achieved three times. After a sluggish start to the season with five games without a hit, Devers has turned things around, boasting a .272/.401/.504 batting line following his 15th home run in Boston’s 2-0 victory over the New York Yankees on Sunday. He has experienced a significant increase in his walk rate, which has lifted his on-base percentage well above his career average of .349. If this walk rate remains consistent (he currently ranks second to Juan Soto in walks), it elevates Devers’ offensive contributions to a whole new level.
Certainly, Devers has some challenges. The Red Sox moved him off third base for valid reasons. The Giants have Gold Glove winner Matt Chapman stationed there, which eliminates the possibility of Devers returning to third. The performance of Giants first basemen has been subpar, ranking 26th in OPS, with Dominic Smith getting the majority of the playing time since LaMonte Wade Jr. was traded to the Angels. However, it seems most likely that Devers will continue as a designated hitter, while Wilmer Flores moves over to share first base duties.
Another consideration is Devers’ contract status: At 28 years old, he is signed through 2033, entering the second year of a 10-year deal that extends into his age-36 season. This situation carries some risk regarding his long-term value, yet Devers has proven to be a reliable hitter throughout his career. His top 10 similarity scores on Baseball-Reference feature three Hall of Famers: Scott Rolen, Adrian Beltre, and Ron Santo, alongside potential future Hall of Famers like Nolan Arenado and Manny Machado. While these players were or are significantly better defenders, Devers holds his own as a hitter.
Transitioning from Fenway to Oracle Park presents its own challenges; San Francisco’s ballpark is partly why no Giants player has reached 30 home runs since Bonds. Devers’ career stats are intriguing: he boasts a higher batting average at home (.292 compared to .267) but has hit more home runs on the road (120 vs. 95). While he might lose some of the easy doubles he earned off the Green Monster, which could slightly lower his average, I believe his power will adapt well.
In summary, the Giants have been in search of a significant middle-of-the-order bat for years, targeting players like Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, and Shohei Ohtani. Now, they have successfully acquired one without giving up any of the pitchers from a staff that ranks third in the league for ERA. The race in the National League West just got much more compelling, especially since the Giants were only a game behind the Dodgers at the trade deadline.
