It’s just over a year since the Boston Red Sox sent third baseman Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants. Now, it seems as though neither side won that trade, as the Red Sox have shipped out the entire Devers return, while the Giants now want to trade Devers.
In fact, it was recently reported that the Giants are hoping to move several massive contracts. Devers is just one of them. This comes in a disaster of a season for San Francisco.
This is where the Devers trade could come back to really bite the Red Sox. An AL East rival, the Toronto Blue Jays, has now been connected to Devers. In particular, Zachary D. Rymer called the Blue Jays the best possible landing spot for Devers.
“Rafael Devers is clearly much more comfortable when he’s the DH, as he has an .841 in those assignments compared to a .662 OPS as a first baseman,” Rymer wrote. “Meanwhile in Toronto, George Springer is looking washed again after a brilliant comeback season in 2025. That’s a major drag on a generally disappointing Blue Jays offense, to the tune of -0.1 rWAR and a 79 wRC+ from the DH spot.”
While with the Red Sox, Devers always played well at the Rogers Center. In fact, he has a .979 OPS there. Worse for Red Sox fans, though, would be seeing him return to Fenway Park multiple times a season.
The Boston Red Sox Made Mistakes with the Rafael Devers Return
GettyKyle Harrison pitching for the Boston Red Sox
In exchange for Rafael Devers, the Boston Red Sox received Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, and James Tibbs. Now, not a single one of those players is in the Red Sox organization.
It would be Hicks who got the most run with the Red Sox in 2025. A relief pitcher, he appeared in 21 games for the Red Sox and had an 8.20 ERA in 18.2 innings. Hicks also produced a 1.982 WHIP and just 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings, compared to 5.8 walks per nine. He was traded to the Chicago White Sox in February, where things haven’t improved.
The other pitcher in the deal, Harrison, hurts much worse. The Red Sox largely kept him in Triple-A, trying to adjust his arsenal. It didn’t really work, and Harrison only pitched in three games for the Red Sox, with a 3.00 ERA in 12 innings. He would become part of the trade for Caleb Durbin and Andruw Monasterio, and with the Milwaukee Brewers, he’s now a Cy Young candidate, with a 2.47 ERA and 11.0 strikeouts per nine innings.
Then, Tibbs would be flipped at the deadline to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Dustin May. He never got out of the minors with the Red Sox and is still in the minors with the Dodgers. May, in turn, was awful for Boston, pitching 28.1 innings in six games to a 5.40 ERA. He’s now pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals, while Tibbs is a Top 10 prospect for the Dodgers.
Rafael Devers is Struggling for the San Francisco Giants
GettySan Francisco Giants slugger Rafael Devers
The entirety of the San Francisco Giants are struggling. However, the way Rafael Devers has struggled has been among the most frustrating for them.
This season, Devers is hitting .235 with a .293 OBP, a .413 slugging percentage, and a .706 OPS. Even with 9 home runs and 21 doubles, it’s been a struggle. For his career, Devers has an .846 OPS and a 162-game home run average of 33.
On top of that, his contract has become a bit of an albatross. Under contract through the 2033 season, Devers is due $28.5 million annually. If he’s really regressing, it’s a ton of money for a player who is likely going to be a DH on the backend of his career. So, the Giants will likely have a hard time moving him.
In that respect, the Red Sox did catch a break on Devers. They’re no longer tied to that contract, especially if his regression is real. At the same time, it’s a shame how they struggled to get a proper return for him.
Giants 3B Rafael Devers Tied to Key AL East Rival of Boston Red Sox in a Trade