According to MLB insider Jeff Passan, the Boston Red Sox dealt Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in a shocking move that was struck in the middle of June. The return for Devers is headlined by Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison, among two other players.
Those two players are the Giants' #4 prospect, OF James Tibbs III, and P Jose Bello. The latter isn't even in the team's top 30 prospect list. But arguably the biggest part of this trade is that San Francisco will be taking on the entirety of Devers' contract, worth $250+ million with 8 years left of control.
The San Francisco Giants are acquiring All-Star slugger Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox, sources confirm to ESPN. An out-of-nowhere blockbuster deal. Boston is getting RHP Jordan Hicks and more. First on the news was @ByRobertMurray.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 15, 2025
Now the biggest question is simple: Why? Why did the Red Sox GM Craig Breslow trade the Red Sox franchise talent out of nowhere?
According to Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe, the Red Sox felt that "a $313.5M contract comes with responsibilities to do what is right for the team and that Devers did not live up to those responsibilities. They had had enough, and they traded him." This is getting mixed reactions on X, but such statements have legs to them.
Rafael Devers has arguably been the face of the franchise since Mookie Betts was dealt to Los Angeles in 2020. But since Alex Bregman's signing last offseason, Devers has been more than public about his thoughts on his rather forced transition to the DH. "I play third", Devers said at Spring Training.
A great steal for the Giants, but as for the Red Sox, it's a possible dismantling, and the continuation of their five-year rebuild. Trevor Story may be next, among others. If James Tibbs and Jose Bello don't pan out, this trade will become the third-worst trade in Red Sox history. This includes the Mookie Betts trade and Babe Ruth being sold to the Yankees 106 years ago.