Last Sunday evening, the Red Sox completed a trade with the San Francisco Giants that shocked the baseball world. The Giants acquired three-time All-Star Rafael Devers from the Red Sox.
In return, Boston received left-handed starter Kyle Harrison, right-hander Jordan Hicks, outfield prospect James Tibbs III, and Rookie League right-hander José Bello.
The deal has left Red Sox fans dumbfounded and brought back memories of the last time their team traded away a top-20 hitter in his prime—back in 2020, when Mookie Betts, along with David Price and cash considerations, was sent to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for Alex Verdugo, Jeter Downs, and Connor Wong.
That trade happened because Red Sox management and ownership weren’t willing to do right by Mookie Betts—refusing to give him the contract he had rightfully earned. Some would argue that Sunday’s deal stemmed from a similar mindset: once again, not standing by a young franchise cornerstone. This time, though, it wasn’t about money. Instead, it centered around Rafael Devers’ reluctance to shift to a designated hitter role during spring training, followed by his unwillingness to play first base after Tristan Casas went down with a season-ending injury.
Now the Red Sox find themselves in a situation eerily similar to 2020—a team without its best player that just received a middling haul in return. The Red Sox—and some Boston fans who had grown tired of Devers’ lack of enthusiasm to help the team win by playing whatever position was needed—are likely feeling this was a smart move. They were able to shed the remaining $250 million on Devers’ contract, which would’ve been paid to a disgruntled, subpar third baseman who was presumably going to spend much of his future as a designated hitter.
That’s an optimistic perspective, but one still has to question the return for one of the most prolific hitters in Major League Baseball. Two pitchers whom the Red Sox must believe they can turn around—a questionable starting point when you’re trading away a player who needs no fixing—and two prospects. The prospects are a bit more encouraging: Tibbs was a first-round pick in the 2024 draft, and Bello is a 20-year-old Dominican pitcher who appears to be holding his own in the minors.
No matter how you spin it, it feels like the Red Sox could’ve gotten more in return for a bat that arguably ranks among the top 20 in baseball. But they didn’t. Now the Giants have dropped a superb slugger into their lineup—something they desperately needed if they hope to win now in a loaded NL West.
San Francisco already has a Gold Glove third baseman in Matt Chapman, who signed a six-year, $151 million deal last year. But Devers has brought a new attitude to his new club. “I’m here to play wherever they want me to play,” said Devers at his introductory press conference. Lo and behold, he was seen fielding grounders at first base on his first day as a Giant.
The Red Sox will look to replace Devers “in the aggregate,” to borrow a phrase from Billy Beane in Moneyball. That may take time—but it’s a price Red Sox management was willing to pay.