The New York Yankees have another chance to acquire Rafael Devers, but any pursuit of the former Red Sox slugger would require confronting one of the largest financial commitments in franchise history, according to Pinstripes Nation Yankees analyst Sara Molnick.
With the Giants reportedly listening on Devers, according to an MLB Trade Rumors report, and the Yankees searching for additional offensive firepower, the question is no longer whether the fit makes sense. It’s whether New York is willing to absorb roughly $211 million to make it happen.
The Yankees need another power bat, and in 64 career games at Yankee Stadium as a visiting player, Devers hit .266 with 18 home runs, 40 RBI and 42 runs scored, according to StatMuse. His left-handed, pull-heavy swing and the Stadium’s short right-field porch are a match made in Bomber heaven.
Devers ‘Makes Perfect Sense’ for the Yankees
“The suggestion arrives at a logical moment for the Yankees. The team is winning but still searching for ways to pull away in the AL,” wrote Molnick on Thursday. “[Giancarlo] Stanton’s health has only sharpened the need. The veteran designated hitter has been limited by injuries, leaving the Yankees thin at a spot where Devers could provide steady, everyday production.”
New York entered Wednesday at 45-27 with a lead in the AL East, but the Tampa Bay Rays have refused to fade and sit just 3 1/2 games behind with 91 games to play. That pressure makes adding a proven bat before the deadline a matter of some urgency for general manager Brian Cashman.
FanSided‘s Jake Elman even proposed cutting ties with Stanton to make room for Devers, in an analysis cited by Molnick.
“Objectively speaking, Devers makes perfect sense for the Yankees. His swing is tailor-made for Yankee Stadium, and he’d certainly be a more reliable DH than Giancarlo Stanton, at least from a health perspective. Actually, the more that we think about it, a Stanton for Devers salary dump isn’t the worst idea,” Elman wrote, as quoted by Pinstripes Nation.
Yankees’ Devers Trade Faces Massive Contract Hurdle
MLB Trade Rumors‘ Anthony Franco cited reporting by ESPN’s Buster Olney claiming that San Francisco is fielding offers on all three of its highest-paid position players. Those would be Devers, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the same day that the Giants’ front office had begun gauging interest across the roster.
San Francisco sat at 29-43 as of mid-June, with a roster construction problem that has made Devers’ positional fit increasingly awkward. Former No. 1 organizational prospect Bryce Eldridge, 21, has become one of the team’s few bright spots. But Eldridge’s positions at first base and in the DH slot threaten to make Devers a spare part.
Devers signed a 10-year, $313.5 million extension with the Boston Red Sox in January 2023, according to Spotrac. The Giants assumed the entire remainder of that contract when they acquired him from the Red Sox last June, and roughly $211 million remains through 2033 at approximately $30 million per year.
Since arriving in San Francisco, Devers has posted a .235 average with 30 home runs, 85 RBI and 86 runs across 163 games. His power remains consistent. His strikeout rate — a career-worst 30.3 percent, per MLB Trade Rumors — remains a problem.
For the Yankees to absorb Devers’ remaining salary, the Giants would need to commit to covering a significant share. But would they?
“As the August 3 deadline draws closer, expect the Yankees to be linked to plenty of bats,” Molnick wrote. “Devers, given his profile and his fit at Yankee Stadium, figures to remain among the most tantalizing names on that list. The second chance is there if the Yankees decide the money is worth it.”
Yankees Face $211 Million Rafael Devers Trade Decision Before Deadline