Rafael Devers has seen it all in the 2025 season. Some impressive hitting, some drama in Boston, and now, a major trade that shakes things up.
The San Francisco Giants have snagged Devers in a blockbuster deal, sending pitchers Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison. Additionally, they stacked up minor leaguers James Tibbs and Jose Bello, back to the Red Sox.
What’s more, the Giants are taking on Devers’ hefty contract worth $254.5 million over the next eight seasons.
Rafael Devers: San Francisco Giant pic.twitter.com/QNc8y4cQQU
— MLB (@MLB) June 16, 2025
At the plate, Devers has been impressively hitting .271 with 14 home runs and an OPS of .894. However, the storyline gets a bit more complicated as he won’t return to his familiar spot at third base.
That position is occupied by none other than Matt Chapman, a top-notch defender who’s secured his place with a long-term contract. While there was some buzz about Devers potentially shifting to first base, it’s still up in the air.
The backdrop to this trade is a tense situation in Boston, particularly after the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman. This struck a chord with Devers.
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Rafael Devers Had A Lengthy Position Dispute With Red Sox
This season, Rafael Devers’s time with the Boston Red Sox has been quite the saga.
It all kicked off when the team signed Alex Bregman, the former Astros star, to a big three-year, $120 million deal. Suddenly, Devers found himself facing some serious competition for his long-time spot at third base.
While he’s been a solid player there, Bregman is a Gold Glove winner, which made things pretty tricky for Devers.
“There’s some growing frustration within the Red Sox organization about outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela. More than once, Rafaela has been advised in the dugout to take the first pitch in his next at-bat, only to swing freely minutes later.”
— Gordo (@BOSSportsGordo) May 11, 2025
– @Sean_McAdam pic.twitter.com/FooOojbQGk
At first, Devers wasn’t too thrilled about giving up his position, but he tried to roll with it, agreeing in spring training to take on the designated hitter role. Just when it seemed like he had settled into that role, a major injury to first baseman Triston Casas threw a wrench in the works.
With his team needing help, the Red Sox floated the idea of moving Devers to first base, but that didn’t go over well at all.
Instead of jumping at the chance, Devers clarified his frustrations, questioning the reasoning behind the move and airing his grievances to the media. Things got tense, and it was severe enough that team owner John Henry flew out to meet with Devers to try to work things out.
In the end, they reached an agreement that he would stick to being the DH.
Also Read: “Respect Your Teammates” – MLB Analyst Blasts Rafael Devers Over First Base Gripes
