‘They had enough and they traded him’: What Red Sox and MLB experts are saying about the stunning Rafael Devers trade

"There is no drama like Red Sox drama, and their latest messy divorce with a star player is one that figures to generate debate for some time."

Rafael Devers playing for the Red Sox in 2021. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff

June 16, 2025

3 minutes to read

Reacting to the Rafael Devers trade: The Red Sox sent shockwaves reverberating around the baseball world on Sunday, trading Rafael Devers to the Giants for pitchers Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison as well as prospects James Tibbs and Jose Bello.

The immediate reaction was genuine surprise from even the most experienced MLB analysts and fans. Despite being in the midst of a tumultuous season, few expected that Boston would deal Devers. Expert reactions to the deal were a fascinating collection of attempts to explain Boston’s motivation.

“There is no drama like Red Sox drama, and their latest messy divorce with a star player is one that figures to generate debate for some time,” wrote Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Others tried to delve into the rationale for such a move.

Boston Globe Red Sox writer Peter Abraham cited team sources.

“The team’s feeling was that a $313.5 [million] contract comes with responsibilities to do what is right for the team and that Devers did not live up to those responsibilities,” Abraham wrote on Bluesky. “They had enough and they traded him.”

ESPN’s Jeff Passan mirrored this from Devers’s perspective.

“Rafael Devers, after all that had happened with Boston this spring, the move from third base to DH, then them wanting him to play first base, did not want to be in Boston anymore,” he said on Sunday.

“Regardless of the mechanics of this deal, it is a shocker,” Passan added in a television appearance on Sunday evening.

The trade being completely unforeseen — at least in terms of its timing — was one of the dominant takeaways. CBS Sports national baseball writer Julian McWilliams compared it to the other recent (and locally unpopular) Red Sox trade: Mookie Betts being sent to the Dodgers in 2020.

“This for me is crazier than the Mookie Betts trade.”

"This for me is crazier than the Mookie Betts trade."@byJulianMack reacts to the Boston Red Sox trading Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants. pic.twitter.com/edaor1IzLO
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) June 16, 2025

The trade caught Giants players off-balance. Willy Adames was mic’d up in the middle of a game when he found out.

Willy Adames is on the mic and is excited about the reported trade that will bring Rafael Devers to the Giants. pic.twitter.com/uenh4IzKlS
— MLB (@MLB) June 15, 2025

Red Sox beat writers tried to focus on the fallout of the relationship between Devers and team management.

“We know now the discord and drama was real — and worse than many believed,” MassLive’s Chris Cotillo said. He cited Devers’s growing “frustration” with “different voices” speaking for the team.

A source with knowledge of the Red Sox-Rafael Devers relationship described it tonight as “an unsalvageable situation for both parties.” Devers was frustrated with mixed messaging from “different voices” in the organization. Felt like a scapegoat. The root was what the player…
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) June 16, 2025

As for the return Boston got in the deal to offload Devers, The Athletic’s Keith Law provided a blunt overview.

“The Red Sox get some value back, certainly, but nowhere near enough to justify offloading Devers’ contract while the team is ostensibly trying to contend this year.”

Trivia: The Red Sox first called up Rafael Devers to the MLB level in July of 2017, just days after cutting another high-profile third baseman. Who was the third baseman that the Red Sox released?

(Answer at the bottom).

Hint: 2012 World Series MVP.

Scores and schedules:

The Red Sox managed to get a 2-0 win over the Yankees on Sunday prior to the major trade news, completing a weekend sweep of their rivals.

Tonight, the Red Sox begin a new series in Seattle against the Mariners at 9:40 p.m.

More from Boston.com:

Golden start: The U.S. men’s national team responded after a timultous buildup to the start of the Gold Cup with an emphatic 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago in Sunday’s opener.