The San Francisco Giants will go for a sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals. They’ll do so without Rafael Devers in the lineup.
Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports that the Giants have been looking for a rest day for Devers, who has started every game this season. Bryce Eldridge will start at first base and Turner Hill at designated hitter.
With the Giants hopelessly far away from playoff contention at 61-85, it’s not a surprise to see Devers get a rest day. San Francisco will send right-hander Blade Tidwell to the mound to try to secure a sweep.
Giants manager Tony Vitello confirmed it was a rest day. Vitello told Pavlovic that Devers has been playing through multiple leg issues. His hot streak at the plate has had him running the bases a lot lately.
Rafael Devers Sit in Giants Finale vs. Cardinals
Interestingly enough, Rafael Devers’ off-day will come against the right-hander Andre Pallante.
The 29-year-old carries a big platoon split this season. Against righties, who he holds the platoon advantage against, he’s hitting .303 with a 1.020 OPS. When facing lefties, he drops to a .178 average and .520 OPS.
It’s worth noting that Devers’ career numbers don’t carry as extreme a platoon split. He has a .718 OPS against lefties compared to .922 against righties.
However, the lineup decision is not likely tied to any platoon split. It’s more a result of a player who’s played in every possible game since the start of the 2025 season. That year, he had a rare 163-game season.
There may be a moment later in the game where Devers could come off the bench. That would keep that streak alive.
Rafael Devers 2026 Season
Rafael Devers has started all 146 games for the Giants this season, with 100 at first base and 46 at DH. This season, he’s slashing .258/.340/.518 with 35 home runs, 92 RBI, and a 134 wRC+. That’s right in line with his 2021-2025 averages, in terms of offensive production.
It didn’t seem that way early in the year. In the month of April, Devers limped to a .207 average and .537 OPS. However, he’s been one of the best hitters in MLB since. Because of that, he’s looked more like the player the Giants thought would anchor their lineup.
Earlier in the series, he became the seventh hitter in Giants history to record 35 home runs and 35 doubles in the same season. Four of the previous six players are in the MLB Hall of Fame.
San Francisco Giants Announce Rafael Devers Decision Before Cardinals Game