The Boston Red Sox are moving on from Rafael Devers.
MLB insider Robert Murray of FanSided broke the news that the Red Sox are trading Devers to the San Francisco Giants in a blockbuster deal.
According to the insider, Boston is dealing Devers in exchange for a package that features Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, outfield prospect James Tibbs III, and Jose Bello. Boston will also not send any money to cover Devers’ salary.
Devers is in the second year of his 10-year, $313.5 million deal with the Red Sox. The slugger had a dispute with Boston early in spring training due to the Red Sox signing Alex Bregman and him moving from third base to DH.
Then, when Triston Casas went down with an injury, the team wanted to move Devers to first base, but he rejected the move. Now, weeks later, Boston has decided to trade Devers to the Giants.
Devers is hitting .272 with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs with the Red Sox this season. The slugger is a three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner.
As part of the return, Boston is acquiring Hicks who’s a pitcher who can start or pitch in relief. He’s in the second year of his four-year, $44 million deal. Hicks is 1-5 with a 6.47 ERA in 13 games, including 9 starts.
Boston is also acquiring Harrison, who’s a 23-year-old pitcher. Harrison is 1-1 with a 4.56 ERA in 8 games, including 4 starts, and can add some depth to the Red Sox rotation.
Tibbs was selected 13th overall in 2024 by the Giants out of Florida State. The outfielder is hitting .246 with 12 home runs and 32 RBIs in A+. The outfielder was the Giants’ fourth-ranked prospect.
Bello, meanwhile, is a 20-year-old right-handed pitching prospect who’s not in the Giants’ Top 30 prospects. He’s 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in 8 games this season in Rookie Ball.
Devers Told Red Sox He Wouldn’t Play First Base
After Casas went down with an injury, Boston looked to move Devers to first base, but he shut the idea down.
Devers claimed the team told him he’d be the DH, so he put his focus on that and wasn’t ready to go back on the field.
“They had the conversation with me,” Devers said through team interpreter Daveson Perez. “I don’t think, for me personally, it’s the best decision after they asked me to play a different position. And I only had two months playing this position to all of a sudden have me try to play another position. So, from my end, it doesn’t seem like a good decision.”
After Devers’ decision, Red Sox principal owner John Henry, president Sam Kennedy, and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow all met with the slugger.
Although the front office said it was a productive talk, Devers remained the DH, and the Red Sox have now traded him to the Giants.
Red Sox Sweep Yankees
Boston made the stunning move fresh off a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees to get back into playoff contention.
The Red Sox improved to 37-36 and are 0.5 games out of the Wild Card. After the sweep of New York, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said the team was finally starting to click.
“It took us a while to have a winning streak,” Cora said. “It’s been a while. And I think as a group, we talk about it like, ‘Let’s not get caught up on winning 10 in a row. Let’s win series.’ … We have bigger expectations, and our standards have to be a lot higher. We’re doing a good job, and getting there right now means a lot, because we struggled there (for a while).”
Now, Boston will look to make the playoffs without Devers on their roster.
Red Sox Trade $313.5 Million Superstar to NL Team in Multi-Player Blockbuster