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Red Sox trade Rafael Devers to Giants in shocking deal
The Red Sox are trading Rafael Devers out to the West Coast.
The Boston Red Sox are moving on from the current face of the franchise.
The Red Sox traded Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday for a package that includes pitchers Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison, along with prospects James Tibbs and Jose Bello.
FanSided’s Robert Murray was the first to report on the trade.
CBS Sports’ Julian McWilliams later added that the Giants will take on the entirety of Devers’ contract, which was a 10-year, $313.5 million deal that he initially signed in January 2023. His contract does not expire until the end of the 2033 season.
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Sunday’s blockbuster stands as a shocking end to what had been a tumultuous start to the 2025 season between Devers and the Red Sox.
“PerRed Sox sources: the team’s feeling was that a $313.5M contract comes with responsibilities to do what is right for the team and that Devers did not live up to those responsibilities,” The Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham posted on BlueSky. “They had enough and they traded him.”
A longtime third baseman ever since he made his debut with Boston in 2017, Devers expressed his displeasure in spring training after the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman to play third base for the team.
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“They asked me the question about how I feel about DH and, yeah, I gave them the answer I just gave: No,” Devers said in spring training of being asked to move to DH, later adding that it was a “surprise” to be asked to DH if the scenario played out. “I’m someone that I believe in people’s word, and I take it to heart and yeah, it was very surprising that they would suggest that.”
Even with Triston Casas suffering a season-ending knee injury in early May and Alex Bregman currently on the IL with a quad injury, Devers has solely played as Boston’s designated hitter this season.
“The Red Sox’ impetus for moving on from Devers stemmed from the 28-year-old’s unwillingness to provide an option at first base despite requests from the team to do so,” WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford added.
Days after Casas’ injury, Devers once again called out the Red Sox’ top brass and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow for approaching him about playing first base.
“They had the conversation with me,” Devers said through translator Daveson Perez at the time. “I don’t think for me personally it’s the best decision after they asked me to play a different position and I only have two months of playing this position. To all of a sudden have me try to play another position … from my end, it doesn’t seem like a good decision.”
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“Yeah. I don’t think they stay true to their word,” Devers added. “They told me I was going to be playing this position, DH. And now they are going back on that. So yeah, I don’t think they stay true to their word.”
Devers’ comments prompted principal owner John Henry, Breslow and president/CEO Sam Kennedy to fly to Kansas City to meet with Devers in person the following day.
Devers remained at DH over his final month with the Red Sox, even after Bregman landed on the IL — which could have opted up a spot for Devers to remain at third.
“We talk, but he’s my DH,” Alex Cora told reporters this weekend when asked about Devers taking ground balls ahead of games. ”Let’s leave it at that.”
MassLive’s Chris Cotillo noted on X that Devers reportedly did not request a trade from the Red Sox.
Amid all of the discourse surrounding his candid comments and his position on the field (or lack thereof), Devers has been one of the most productive hitters in baseball this season, batting .272 with 15 home runs and 58 RBI over 73 games this season.
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Devers’ final hit with the Red Sox was a solo home run off Max Fried during Sunday’s 2-0 win over the Yankees at Fenway Park.
“We’re playing good baseball but we still have more,” Devers said postgame via translator Carlos Villoría Benitez.
The Red Sox will face Devers later on this week, as Boston will take on the Giants in San Francisco for a three-game series starting on Friday.
Hicks, 28, is a hard-throwing righty who has struggled this season as a starter with the Giants. He sports a 6.47 ERA across 13 games — including nine starts. Hicks, who signed a four-year, $44 million contract contract with the Giants last offseason, has 43 strikeouts in 48.2 innings of work.
Harrison, 23, made 24 starts in his first full season in the majors last year — sporting a 4.56 ERA. He opened this year in Triple-A before joining the Giants’ big-league roster again in May. In eight games (four starts), Harrison is 1-1 with a 4.56 ERA.
Tibbs — San Francisco’s No. 4 overall prospect — was selected No. 13 overall in the 2024 MLB Draft. The 22-year-old outfielder was batting .246 with three home runs and 32 RBI over 57 games in High-A ball this season.
Bello is a 20-year-old pitcher who has sported a 2.00 ERA out of the bullpen during rookie ball this season within the Giants organization.
Devers closed out his nine-year career with the Red Sox with three All-Star nods, two Silver Sluggers, and helped Boston win a World Series in 2018. Devers was the final member from that 2018 roster still on Boston this season.
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