Rafael Devers accomplished something a San Francisco Giants hitter hasn’t done in 24 seasons. With a first-inning double against the St. Louis Cardinals, Devers became the first Giant to have 35 doubles and 35 home runs in a season since Jeff Kent in 2002.
A 35-homer, 35-double season has been done eight times in franchise history. MLB’s Sarah Langs posted all such seasons in Giants history.
The list of players who’ve done this before includes Mel Ott (1929), Willie Mays (1962), Willie McCovey (1973), Barry Bonds (1993 and 1998), Rich Aurilla (2001), and Jeff Kent (2002). That’s four Hall of Famers and one of the greatest hitters of all-time.
Kent was recently elected to the MLB Hall of Fame this year via the Era Committee.
Rafael Devers 2026 Season
The 2026 season has been a bit polarizing for Rafael Devers, who got off to a painfully slow start. In April, he hit just .207 with a .537 OPS and a 48 wRC+.
However, he’s since bounced back to have his typical season at the plate. In each of the subsequent four months, he’s had an OPS of at least .833 and a wRC+ of at least 128. Devers has gotten hot in September, hitting .391 with five home runs in six games.
His full-season slash line has recovered to .258/.338/.517 with 35 home runs and a 133 wRC+ in 144 games. That’s more in line with what the Giants expected when they acquired him in June 2025.
The Giants gave up quite a haul, sending Kyle Harrison, James Tibbs III, and Jose Bello to the Boston Red Sox. With Devers producing more to expectations, the deal is looking better for San Francisco.
Giants Enter 2026 Offseason With More Questions than Answers
Despite the strong production from Devers, the Giants have not had a good 2026 season. They entered this game with a 54-78 record and more questions than answers entering the offseason.
While the club has many holes to address in the offseason, Devers is not one of them. Instead, he’ll enter his Age 30 season knowing that he’ll be the key bat in their lineup. They may have to figure out his long-term defensive home.
Devers still has seven years left on his contract. The Giants owe him $211 million for that stretch. They’ll need him to remain at his 2021-2026 offensive production levels to justify the deal. That’s an average of 32 home runs and a 134 wRC+.
Rafael Devers Joins Barry Bonds, Jeff Kent in Rare Giants History During Cardinals Game