Trading for Rafael Devers Solidifies the Giants as Contenders

The San Francisco Giants have officially pulled off one of the biggest blockbuster deals in recent Major League Baseball memory. At 3:51 PM local time on Sunday afternoon, MLB Insider Robert Murray broke the news that nobody was expecting, announcing that Rafael Devers was traded from the Boston Red Sox to the Giants.

With that news, there’s no question about Buster Posey being all in during his first year as president of baseball operations. He’s not only dipping his toe in the water but diving straight into the deep end. This is the type of move that shows confidence in the team’s ability to win right now.

With one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, bringing in Devers can change the entire trajectory of a team’s season and future. For Giants fans, it becomes a moment where you will always remember where you were when it happened.

The Giants have been one of the best, and most surprising, teams in all of baseball. Their pitching has been elite and can go head-to-head with basically anybody. The offense, on the other hand, has been a completely different story. Even with some timely hits and crazy comebacks, it’s been mediocre at best.

With a surplus of inconsistency, it’s been clear for a while that they’re missing that one big bat. That power-hitting, fear-inducing, middle-of-the-order presence. Now, they have it.

Let’s take a look at what Devers adds to this team and what they had to give up to get him.

What Are the Giants Getting?

Simply put, San Francisco is adding one of the premier hitters in the game. Devers isn’t just a good hitter, he’s a flat-out masher. He’s a three-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger, and one could argue that he’s the biggest home run threat in San Francisco since Barry Bonds.

Over his last four seasons, he’s hit 28, 33, 27, and 38 (career high) home runs, with three 30+ bomb seasons overall. If you forget about the shortened 2020 season, Devers has averaged just under 30 home runs since the start of 2018. That’s without mentioning the 15 long balls he’s already hit in 2025.

Now, if you’re worried about Devers hitting in the pitcher-friendly confines of Oracle Park, check this out:

Devers doesn’t sell out for power, and unlike a lot of power hitters, he provides more than just pop. In 2019, he posted a career-high .311 batting average and is a career .279 hitter.

He’s also developed into quite the disciplined masher. In 2025, he’s walking at a 16.8% clip, blowing his previous career-high of 11.1% out of the water. A massive sign that even as an elite hitter, he continues to evolve in the batter’s box.

Yes, the Giants are taking on a large contract that has north of $250 million remaining. It’s the type of financial commitment that shifts the direction and tone of the entire organization. Adding Devers to names like Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, Heliot Ramos, and Jung Hoo Lee makes this growing core an overall expensive one.

More importantly, though, it makes it a really good one.

With him now anchoring the middle of the lineup, less pressure is on the shoulders of a guy like Adames, the previous holder of the most expensive contract in franchise history. A move that provides this level of protection could be exactly what Adames needs to finally get going in San Francisco.

The only puzzle to solve is where Devers will play, which Buster Posey and Bob Melvin have been clear about not discussing until Devers is there in person. Clearly, you can’t move Chapman and his glove off of third base. That makes first base and designated hitter the most likely spots for Devers to log his innings.

While that conversation didn’t go over well in Boston, anytime you can add this level of a hitter, you do it. With a potential Hall of Famer, you bet on the bat and figure out the logistics later.

What Did the Giants Give Up?

LHP Kyle Harrison

Kyle Harrison seems like the centerpiece of this deal, who was literally warming up to start against the rival Dodgers on Sunday Night Baseball when this deal broke.

Not far removed from being the top left-handed pitching prospect in all of baseball, Harrison holds a lot of upside. While he posted an underwhelming 4.56 ERA in his first full season, he pitched through several injuries. After cleaning up some mechanics and being healthy, he’s seen some immediate improvements.

From 2024 to this year, the fastball velocity has jumped from 92.5 mph to 95.1. When considering the ride and the release point of the pitch, it becomes a one-of-a-kind fastball. The issue with Harrison has always been the secondary pitches.

However, he’s heading to a pitching lab that is quite familiar with him. Andrew Bailey was with the Giants just two years ago, and if he can develop Harrison’s off-speed, they might have a top of the rotation arm on their hands.

RHP Jordan Hicks

The Jordan Hicks experiment to become a starter got off to a nice start for two months in 2024 but has unraveled since then. In just under 50 innings this year, with most of them coming as a starter, he posted a 6.47 ERA.

With that being said, the stuff is still there. Hicks used to be one of the most electric relievers in baseball, consistently touching 100+ mph.

It’ll be interesting to see if the Red Sox utilize him in the rotation or out of the ‘pen. Either way, the Giants shedding his four-year, $44 million contract is a win when you look at the money owed to Devers.

The Prospects

James Tibbs III is the biggest prospect included in this trade. The 2024 first-round pick out of Florida State was just starting to get Giants fans excited, with his showing of power in High-A Eugene.

In 2025, he’s hit .245 with 12 home runs and a wRC+ of 132. Still being a few years from debuting, Tibbs has real power-hitting upside and the opportunity to develop into a top 100 prospect.

Jose Bello is the last and final piece of this blockbuster. He’s a 20-year old pitcher who’s had a nice start to the year at the complex. Through 18 innings, he posted an ERA right at 2.00 with an impressive 14.00 K/9.

Final Thoughts

With giving up four projects and no sure-fire big-league stars, this deal seems like an auto-win for the Giants, but only time will tell.

The Giants have the pitching staff to compete right now as well as the bullpen to lock down any game. Adding a true centerpiece to this lineup, Devers transforms this squad from a scrappy contender to a possible powerhouse.

This is a move that lets the league know that the Giants are back and they’re serious. With the Dodgers and Padres also competing within the division, this may be the move to give the Giants an edge to not only compete, but take home the division crown.

With Devers now in the orange and black, the Giants aren’t just hoping to be one of the last teams to make it to October baseball, but the only one standing at the end of it.