The San Francisco Giants acquired three-time All-Star Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, a stunning trade that sent a player Boston once considered a franchise cornerstone to a San Francisco team in need of an offensive infusion, sources told ESPN.
Boston received left-handed starter Kyle Harrison, right-hander Jordan Hicks, outfield prospect James Tibbs III and rookie-ball right-hander Jose Bello, sources said.
The Giants will cover the remainder of Devers’ contract, which runs through 2033 and will pay him more than $250 million, according to sources.
The trade ends the fractured relationship between Devers and the Red Sox that had degraded since spring training, when Devers balked at moving off third base – the position where he’d spent his whole career – after the signing of free agent Alex Bregman. The Red Sox gave no forewarning to Devers, who expressed frustration before relenting and agreeing to play designated hitter.
Following a season-ending injury to first baseman Triston Casas in early May, the Red Sox asked Devers to move to first base. He declined, suggesting the front office “should do their jobs” and find another player after the organization told him during spring training he would play DH for the remainder of the season. The day after Devers’ comments, Red Sox owner John Henry, president Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow flew to Kansas City, where Boston was playing, to sit down talk with Devers.
In the weeks since, Devers’ refusal to play first led to internal tension and helped facilitate the deal, sources said.
San Francisco pounced – and in doing so added a force to an offense that ranks 15th in runs scored in Major League Baseball. Devers, 28, is hitting .272/.401/.504 with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs, tied for the third most in MLB. Over his nine-year career, Devers is hitting .279/.349/.509 with 215 home runs and 696 RBIs in 1,053 games.
Boston believed enough in Devers to give him 10-year, $313.5 million contract extension in January 2023. He rewarded the Red Sox with a Silver Slugger that season and made his third All-Star team in 2024.
Whether he slots in at designated hitter or first base with San Francisco – the Giants signed Gold Glove third baseman Matt Chapman to a six-year, $151 million deal last year – is unknown. But San Francisco sought Devers more for his bat that immediately makes the Giants – who are fighting for National League West supremacy with the Los Angeles Dodgers – a better team.
To do so, they gave a package of young talent in addition to taking on the contract multiple teams’ models had as underwater. Harrison, 23, is the prize of the deal, particularly for a Red Sox team replete with young hitting talent but starving for young pitching. Once considered one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, Harrison had shuttled between San Francisco and Triple-A Sacramento this season. Harrison, who was scratched from a planned start against the Dodgers on Sunday night, has a 4.48 ERA over 182.2 innings since debuting with the Giants in 2023. He has struck out 178, walked 62 and allowed 30 home runs.
The 28-year-old Hicks, who has toggled between starter and reliever since signing for four years and $44 million with the Giants before the 2024 season, is currently on the injured list with right toe inflammation. One of the hardest-throwing pitchers in baseball, Hicks has a 6.47 ERA over 48.2 innings this season. He could join the Red Sox’s ailing bullpen, which chief baseball office Craig Breslow has sought to upgrade.
Tibbs, 22, was chosen by the Giants with the 13th overall pick in last year’s draft out of Florida State. A 6-foot, 200-pound corner outfielder, Tibbs has spent the season at High-A, where he hit .245/.377/.480 with 12 home runs and 32 RBIs in 56 games. Scouts laud his eye – he has 41 walks and 45 strikeouts in 252 plate appearances – but question whether his swing will translate at higher levels.
Bello, 20, has spent the season as a reliever for the Giants’ rookie-ball affiliate. In 18 innings, he has struck out 28 and walked three, posting a 2.00 ERA.
The deal is the latest in which Boston shipped out a player central to the franchise. Before the 2020 season, Boston traded Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers – a year after he won American League MVP and led Boston to a franchise-record 108 wins and a World Series title.
Devers was part of that World Series-winning team in 2018 and led the Red Sox in RBIs each season from 2020 to 2024, garnering MVP votes each of the last four years. Devers had been with the Red Sox since 2013, when he signed as an international amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic. He debuted four years later at 20.
Boston is banking on its young talent to replace Devers’ production. The Red Sox regularly play four rookies – infielders Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer, outfielder Roman Anthony and catcher Carlos Narvaez – and in infielder Franklin Arias and outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia have two players expected to contribute in the coming years.
