The Boston Red Sox shocked the baseball world on Sunday, trading All-Star slugger Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for pitchers Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks along with two prospects. It was a blockbuster deal that baffled many MLB executives around the league and now there’s insight into the rationale from Boston.
Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe explained that the organization’s decision to trade Devers stemmed from a feeling that the $313.5 million contract the All-Star signed “comes with responsibilities to do what is right” for the club. In the organization’s view, Devers failed to fulfill those responsibilities.
- Rafael Devers contract (Spotrac): $31.318 million salary in 2025, $27 million salary in 2026, $28.4 million annual salary for 2027-2033
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Devers, age 28, is in the second season of a 10-year, $313.5 million contract extension he signed with Boston. At the time of the signing, the Red Sox signaled the two-time Silver Slugger Award winner would be their third baseman of the future.
Then, Boston signed Gold Glove Award winner Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract in February. While there was some suggestion that Devers could stick at third base with Bregman moving to second base, that possibility was quickly extinguished when the club decided to make Kristian Campbell its starting second baseman.
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Devers was told he would become the full-time designated hitter, a decision he publicly expressed his pleasure over. After an adjustment period upon learning he wouldn’t play the field anymore – 0-for-19 with 15 strikeouts in his first 23 plate appearances – Devers locked in. In his final 68 games with Boston, Devers recorded a .960 OPS with a .292/.418/.542 triple-slash line with 15 home runs, 57 RBI and a 61-52 K-BB ratio.
- Rafael Devers stats (ESPN): .272/.401/.504, .905 OPS, 15 home runs, 58 RBI in 272 ABs
In May, following the season-ending injury suffered by Triston Casas, Boston went back to Devers and asked him to move to first base. He declined, feeling like the team had yanked him around with position changes and poorly communicated with him about their plans.
The matter seemed to be put to rest publicly with Devers delivering All-Star production. Then, Boston shocked the baseball world on Sunday afternoon by pulling Devers off the team plane following the series sweep over the New York Yankees, trading him to San Francisco. While the Red Sox received some quality assets in return, the sentiment around baseball is that this was a salary dump and a head-scratching deal for Boston.
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