It’s been almost a month since the Boston Red Sox shook up Major League Baseball by trading Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants. Dealt amid plenty of drama within the Red Sox infield, Devers was supposed to be a key cog for the Giants' lineup as Boston attempted to keep an eye on its future without sacrificing the present.
The early returns haven’t been great for the Giants since Devers arrived in the Bay Area, and now things could be getting worse as the 28-year-old is dealing with an injury heading into the All-Star break.
Former Red Sox IF Rafael Devers Dealing with Disk Issue Entering All-Star Break
Giants manager Bob Melvin told reporters on Friday that Devers is dealing with a disk issue in his lower back since coming over in the trade with the Red Sox. Devers was in the lineup as the designated hitter in Saturday’s 8-7 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, but his production has slumped since the blockbuster, hitting .220/.350/.354 with two homers and nine RBIs over 23 games.
Melvin added that Devers has begun anti-inflammatory medication for the issue and underwent an MRI exam on Thursday. The San Francisco skipper is hopeful Devers can avoid the injured list with the All-Star break beginning on Monday.
Devers' injury situation is another reason why the Red Sox have claimed early victory in the aftermath of the trade. Boston got rid of the remaining eight seasons of a 10-year, $313.5 million contract as part of the deal and also cleared their headspace after Devers refused to play designated hitter and first base at points this season.
Devers eventually relented and hit .272/.401/.504 with 15 homers and 58 RBIs as Boston’s designated hitter, but remained vigilant on his refusal to play first when Triston Casas went down with a season-ending knee injury in May. The three-time All-Star changed his tune, saying he would do anything to help the team win upon his arrival in San Francisco, but recently stood up Giants legend Will Clark when he showed up to the ballpark to help Devers learn how to play first base.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox have 14-9 since the trade and have won 10 of their past 11 games, including an eight-game win streak that was capped off by Ceddane Rafaela’s walk-off, two-run homer in Friday’s 5-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Devers could recover from the injury in the long haul, but his health will be something that Red Sox fans will keep their eye on in the second half. If he can’t play through the issue, Boston may have made a wise move in the short term that could result in their first playoff appearance since 2021.