The Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants agreed to an absolutely shocking blockbuster trade on Sunday, with Rafael Devers being dealt to the Giants in exchange for a package surrounding starting pitchers Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks.
The trade, which was first reported by Robert Murray of FanSided, came out of left field, as there had been nothing reported about the two teams discussing the groundbreaking deal.
According to Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe, the Red Sox's decision to trade Devers stemmed from the positional dispute the team had with him during spring training, and again during the regular season. Devers, who had only ever played third base, wasn't happy when asked to move to designated hitter after Boston signed Alex Bregman. After eventually agreeing to DH, he was once again miffed when he was asked to play first base due to a season-ending injury sustained by Triston Casas.
Devers' unwillingness to step up and help the team out in a moment of need was reportedly a major concern for the organization, who felt that Devers did not live up to the responsibilities that come with the $313.5 million deal he signed in 2023. Instead, they offloaded him and his contract to San Francisco. According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive, Devers did not demand a trade away from the organization.
The Giants will take on the remaining $250 million owed to Devers in his contract, which doesn't expire until after the 2033 season. He'll make $27 million in 2026 and then $28.5 million for the remaining seven seasons.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Red Sox Made Unanticipated Decision to Trade Rafael Devers to Giants.
