With the July 31 trade deadline on the horizon, it’s officially silly season in Major League Baseball.
Fans can expect plenty of movement throughout the league, whether it’s World Series hopefuls going all-in or bottom-feeders trying to position themselves for a brighter future.
FOX Sports MLB reporters Rowan Kavner and Deesha Thosar will be grading the biggest trades in the league through the July 31 trade deadline. Here’s how every team has done so far:
Giants acquire 3B/DH Rafael Devers from Red Sox
Key stats: Devers: .272/.401/.504, 15 HR, 47 R, 48 RBI
Who else is involved: The Red Sox received LHP Kyle Harrison, RHP Jordan Hicks and two prospects, OF James Tibbs III and RHP Jose Bello
What it means: The tension and bad blood building between Devers and Boston’s front office was San Francisco’s gain, as the Giants swooped six weeks before the trade deadline to acquire one of the sport’s best hitters. There was drama all year in Boston, but it was nonetheless stunning to see the Red Sox move on from Devers just two seasons into a 10-year, $313.5 million extension. The timing — in the middle of June, coming off a sweep of the Yankees, with the Red Sox now a half-game back of a wild-card spot, in a year in which Boston has made a series of moves to try to end a three-year playoff drought, and with Alex Bregman capable of opting out at season’s end — was even more staggering.
The relationship between Devers and the Red Sox brass started to deteriorate shortly after Boston traded for Bregman in February. The Red Sox told Devers they wanted him to move off third base, where the three-time All-Star had played since 2017, and become the full-time DH. Devers initially declined but eventually acquiesced. After a slow start at the plate, Devers took off in his new role. His 149 OPS+ is the best mark of his career and makes him a top-15 hitter in MLB. But when Triston Casas went down for the year, the drama picked up. Devers was the most obvious replacement at first base, and the Red Sox asked him to move. Devers not only refused but was also unhappy the front office put him in that spot, creating a contentious enough situation that owner John Henry flew to Kansas City after Devers’ public criticisms in an attempt to ease the tensions. Clearly, friction remained. The Red Sox looked bad for not communicating well with their star. Devers looked bad for not being a team player. There were no winners in the feud, save for the Giants.
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A rocky end in Boston now sees Rafael Devers heading to San Francisco Giants. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Devers, the last remaining star from Boston’s 2018 championship team, provides a San Francisco club that needed another offensive linchpin to seriously contend. The Giants are second in the NL West and would be a wild-card team if the season ended today, but that’s because of a pitching staff with the third-best ERA — and specifically a bullpen with the best ERA — in the majors. Their offense is 22nd in OPS and 20th in wRC+. Heliot Ramos and Matt Chapman, who is currently injured, were the only qualified hitters on the team with an OPS over .800 — at least, until Devers, who has a .905 OPS this year and immediately becomes their top offensive player.
He also arguably makes the Giants the biggest threat to the Dodgers in the division. It’s a risky commitment to a 28-year-old who already grades out poorly defensively and is signed through 2033, but this is a Giants team that hasn’t had a 30-homer hitter since Barry Bonds and is guided by a new president of baseball operations in Buster Posey who wants to compete now. The start of the Willy Adames era has not gone well; Devers, who has three 30-homer seasons in his career, can alleviate some of that pressure.
For the Giants, the biggest risk is financial. Their pitching staff should be able to handle the departures. Kyle Harrison was a recent top prospect, but he has a 4.48 ERA in 39 career appearances. Jordan Hicks has a 6.47 ERA this year. Tibbs was a first-round pick last year, but none of the players they lost are guaranteed to be difference-making talents. Devers, whether at DH or corner infield, is that.
For the Red Sox, Devers’ defensive limitations make it highly unlikely that this turns into the cataclysmic disaster that was the Mookie Betts trade. It’s possible Harrison or Tibbs develop into productive pieces, and maybe the savings can be put to better use. Still, it’s hard to see this being a positive for Boston or its playoff-hungry fans in the short-term, especially in a year in which many expected the Red Sox to win the division. If not for some poor communication, this all might’ve been avoidable. –Kavner
Giants: A-
Red Sox: D+
Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.
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